


The Lark at Break of Day Arising

by natashawitch



Series: Were-Haven [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012) RPF, CW Network RPF, Supernatural RPF
Genre: Age flip, Alpha Jared, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Arranged Marriage, Bigotry & Prejudice, Exile, Implied Mpreg, M/M, Omega Jensen, Were-Creatures, castration (mentioned)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-13
Updated: 2013-05-30
Packaged: 2017-12-11 19:10:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 44,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/802173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natashawitch/pseuds/natashawitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the Ackles Pack outside Dallas, Jensen is an omega wolf who believes his future is set in stone, until he is exchanged as part of a business deal between his Pack Alpha and the Alpha of a British Wolf Pack.</p><p>Jared is an alpha but an outsider in his home of Piseagard in Scotland. He spends as much time as possible away from home, at university, visiting his Texan and Polish cousins, or hiding behind the grassy hillock with his BFF Misha. </p><p>Biology, circumstance, society and pack law are against Jared and Jensen ever coming in contact with each other but sometimes things are destined to be.</p><p>Jensen is 17 and Jared is 22. This would not be considered underage where I am from, so I haven't warned for it in the tags.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Jensen: Texas

**Author's Note:**

> A work of fiction. 
> 
> I do not own these wonderful actors nor do I think they are in relationships with each other or are werecreatures. 
> 
> No insult or infringements intended.
> 
> Work title from Sonnet 29 by Shakespeare
> 
> "When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes  
> I all alone beweep my outcast state"  
> .....  
> "Haply I think on thee, - and then my state,  
> Like to the lark at break of day arising,  
> From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;  
> For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings  
> That then I scorn to change my state with kings."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

When Jensen Ackles was ripped from his omega mother’s belly his fate was sealed. 

Jens and Fred Ackles had been driving back from the Greater Houston Area Pack, visiting Fred’s family, when Jens was blindsided by a lane hopping taxi cab. They said the car rolled three times, transforming itself into a prison of metal and screams. The paramedics were not trained in werewolf physiology and by the time the bus arrived at Dallas General the only life with any chance was the unborn baby.

When Antoine Ackles arrived with his delegation of alphas and family members his grandson and mate were dead and his premature great-grandson was fighting for his life. Antoine purchased the incubator and used his fortune to persuade two neo-natal nurses to take vacation time. Back at the pack doctor’s surgery, the tests were carried out, the baby was omega. Antoine was pleased. He had enough alpha blood in his pack and betas were two a penny. Another omega would bring status and a fine dowry to his coffers.

The baby was a month old before the human nurses were dismissed. That week held the night of the child’s second full moon. The baby would be named, shift to his wolf form, and it was the first chance for an alpha to lay claim on him.

Antoine did not find it amusing the way his subordinate alphas tittered like teenage girls at the tiny too-small five week old baby whose due date had only passed that week. No hand shot up to claim him. Antoine was not surprised, claims at first sight only happened in legend, and the mite was too fragile. It was too possible that the boy would not make his first birthday. 

The moon was gibbous, almost at her peak. He raised the child in two hands as was tradition, but could have easily only used one paw. He would honour his beloved alpha grandson. “Luna, Goddess, accept this child, more blessed by you that he is one of your chosen omegas, I name him Jens’ son. Jensen.”

Antoine pronounced Jens as Yens but he sounded the J in the baby’s name, giving him his own identity, not only Jens’ son but his own wolf. He looked down as the cry wailed and the little limbs flexed. A frightful scream tore from the infant’s lungs as bones popped and grew. Then in his arms the Pack Alpha held a trembling warm grey wolf pup.

“Mamma?” Jensen-wolf tried with his mind.

“No son. You have no Mamma.” Antoine said gravely. He called forth his niece Beth and placed the cub in her hands, “Take care of him, Elizabeth, he is your charge.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jensen always knew Aunt Beth resented him. She was kind to him. She cared for him, made sure he had enough to eat, was clean, attended his lessons and was respectful to her cousin and Jensen’s granduncle Anders, the Pack Alpha. However Aunt Beth didn’t love him like Trevor’s Papa or Sally’s Mom. Her eyes didn’t light up when she saw him coming, rather something sad and lost filled them.

She was with him now, combing his hair and telling him what a chance this was. Jensen bit his lip.

“Jensen! You will stop this infernal habit of biting your lip. Here!” She shoved the pink tinted lip gloss at him. He reapplied the tint.

“I don’t see what difference it will make to some dumb jock alpha, if I have pink shiny lips.” He pouted.

“Jensen.” She stopped her hair pulling efforts and swung around to crouch in front of him. “I have been there. I too was laid in a cradle for my first turning day and no alpha claimed me. I too spent my seventh birthday in hope and expectation that my match would be arranged that day. You know that Antoine, may he rest, had great hopes for your third claim day.”

“I remember all the visiting knotheads. I was seven not retarded.” 

Beth slapped his face. “Jensen. You will not use such words.”

He rubbed at his cheek, not letting tears flow. He would not cry in front of her.

“I am trying here. I was sure that I would be picked on my twelfth birthday. That I would not be one of the omegas still clinging to hope on my eighteenth, one of the laughable ones claimed on the day of mating.” Beth swallowed hard. “You know it never happened for me. My heats dried up without the knot. Antoine gave you to me out of pity for my barren unclaimed state.”

Jensen heard the bitterness in her tone. He valiantly stopped himself from biting his lip but his nails cut half moons into his hands. He had been the salt rubbed in her wounds for the last twelve years. Today though, today if he was claimed, she would be proud. 

If his mating was arranged today he would spend more time at the Pack House, secure in his status as Expectant Mate. He wondered who might claim him. Darren, the cook, often took pity on him in the kitchens when he was at the Pack House. Darren was older, in his forties, but he had never mated, and Jensen wondered if life as the chef’s mate would be so bad. The food would be good and he could almost see their pups getting under everyone’s feet in the kitchens. There was Simon, Alpha Anders’ third. Jensen shivered. He hoped Simon wouldn’t claim him. There was something cruel and icy in the wolf’s eyes. He thought he was safe, because Simon had touched Sally’s shoulders as she served at table on their week of voluntary pack service. Sally would be eleven next month and Jensen was fairly certain his unfortunate friend was going to be picked by Simon. The only other possible alpha from their pack would be Brock. He was closer in age, only nineteen, but he was a jerk, full of his own self importance and barely deigned to make eye contact with Jensen. Of course there could be visiting alphas, not quite the circus of his seventh birthday, but it was a possibility.

In the end it was a letdown. All the preparation, beauticians, hairdressers, new clothes, the freaking elocution lessons, was for nothing. Jensen had been presented to Anders, who had wished him well and expressed his hopes for a large dowry to the pack. Then Jensen had taken his place in the comfortable sitting room, with its fine furnishings and large windows and mirrors and he had waited. Sally and Trevor showed up with his birthday gifts. Darren had brought him his lunch and dinner personally and stroked his cheek, confessing that if the male form did anything for him, then Jensen would be it. An alpha from Phoenix took one look with his head around the door, sneered and left. The British Alpha who was there to make some business deal about their packs shared oil interests at least introduced himself as Alpha Sheppard. He gave Jensen some assessing gazes which Jensen squirmed under, not knowing why he felt so uncomfortable, but he still left without even touching Jensen’s hand. Finally after ten long and boring hours Anders and his second Harold came into the room.

“Hard luck grand-nephew. We will try again on your mating day.”

Jensen could barely hear the words. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Not being claimed was a blessing in disguise. Aunt Beth marched into the Pack Meeting on the next dark moon and stood at the questioning place until Anders was forced to acknowledge the status-less omega. 

“Yes Beth?”

“I want Jensen to have a life.”

“Excuse me?”

“I don’t want the boy to end up like me. Barren and useless to the pack, save as the caretaker of another omega’s orphan.”

“Beth...”

“Please alpha, let me have my say.”

Anders gestured for his supplicant to continue.

“The Ackles Pack is strong and populous. We need many talents to keep it running smoothly. Jensen is a clever boy. He is ahead of all his classmates at the pack school. I want to petition you to send him to a private human high school in Dallas. You know the chances of a last minute claiming are low. Let Jensen be of benefit to the pack and let him find some worth if he is not mated.”

“I will consider it.”

“That is all I ask, Alpha.” Beth bowed her head and stepped backwards to her seat.

She didn’t tell Jensen of her efforts on his behalf, for fear that nothing would come of it, but when fall came, Jensen was enrolled at Johnson High.

The omega thrived in his new school. It sucked being different and an outsider. He was chauffeured to and from the school by one of the pack alphas. He couldn’t shift during the day if he got itchy under his skin. He had a poor attendance record due to taking the full moon and day after off for the pack runs and when his heats started at thirteen, he lost days each time. But it was worth it. He worked hard making up for any missed classes. He kept his head down. He didn’t play sports. It wasn’t in his nature to be competitive. He would have liked to try track and field, but werewolves were barred from human sports due to their innate physical advantages. He made a friend, Chris, from his music class. Chris got him to join his band as an on-off member when Jensen revealed his singing voice. On-off because Jensen wasn’t allowed to socialise outside school hours. No matter how many times Chris invited him to practice sessions in Steve’s family garage, Jensen had to bow his head and mutter his polite refusal.

“I know it’s a werewolf thing.” Christian grouched one day when they were fourteen. “But Jensen, we all have seen other teenage werewolves around the city, and my brother told me a crowd of them took over a corner of the club he went to with Mindy last Saturday. How come you can’t come back to mine to study or have dinner with my parents?”

“’m omega.” Jensen picked at his nails.

“Huh? I don’t understand. Look dude. I’m not big on all that pack stuff and we don’t do werewolf studies until next year, which you’ll be getting a big fat A+ on, cheat!”

Jensen grinned, “I got an A on my human biology.”

“Geek. I’m serious here. Explain Ackles.”

Christian waited and waited. Finally before the bell sounded Jensen sighed, “You’ll find out when we do packs and biology and shit. There are alphas, betas and omegas. Lots of the first two, few of the last.”

“So you are a rare example of your species then?”

“Hey, dude, I’m not a world wildlife fund appeal. Not that rare. Alphas are the jerk jocks you see around town. They are bigger and stronger and they lead us. They are the reason I can’t try out for athletics. Betas are kind of like humans. Big and small, strong and not so strong, sometimes with leadership qualities sometimes not.”

“Omegas?” Christian prompted looking at his watch.

“We are more fertile...”

Christian made a choking noise.

“We can carry pups, whether our human forms are male or female...”

“Dude you’ve got a womb and bits?”

“Shush, Chris, I don’t want the whole state of Texas to hear us. I do not have bits. I have a pup pouch thank you. We omegas are usually smaller, slighter, less desiring of conflict. Our matings, marriages, are arranged when we are young and our alphas take us when we are eighteen.”

“So like, do you have a kind of fiancé then?”

“No. I don’t cause no one has wanted me yet.” Jensen turned his head away.

“Dumb alphas.”

“Yeah.”

“So are there female alphas? Do you get a big hot chick?”

“Ahem, no. I mean there are female alphas but they mate with a male alpha or beta and can have their own pups, children. If I mate it will be to a male alpha. My body needs their potent alpha sperm from their knot to procreate, but I self-lubricate to....”

“Stop. Oh My God. Stop. Jensen that is too much information. Knots and... Freaking hell, man. We had better be doing human history today because if I have to look at pictures of historic weres my imagination will go wild.”

Jensen laughed as the bell sounded. Christian hadn’t run screaming. Sure he was freaked out, but he had taken their cultural and biological differences well, and it looked like they were still friends.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Electives...

What was he going to do?

Jensen ran a hand through his long hair. Aunt Beth hated it. She wanted to get clippers, but Jensen was secretly trying to catch up with Christian’s hair length. Besides the other guys in the band had way longer hair than either of them. Steve had a long braid at school which was so cool. Jensen couldn’t catch enough of his hair to tie back, yet, maybe by his dreaded eighteenth birthday in a few months.

Electives...

I wanted to concentrate on English and History related subjects, keeping on biology because he loved it. If he was human he would love to study journalism. Everything came back to how it benefited the pack. An omega would never be allowed to swan around being a journalist. Jensen doubted any wolf would be permitted to leave the pack for such a career. His favourite classes could lead him to teaching. He knew Pack Alpha Anders would approve and he would be guaranteed a role at the pack school.

He couldn’t and wouldn’t do it. He almost choked at the thought of being barren and having to spend every day teaching other wolves’ pups, never having any of his own. He’d rather die.

Jensen tapped his teeth with his pen. He wondered about something medical. He knew the pack would fund him if he could get the grades for medical school. He didn’t see himself as a doctor but perhaps a physical therapist, paramedic, or osteopath or a nurse? Anders would approve. He would be helping people. Doc Beaver could train him on the differences in werewolf treatment. 

Happy with his decision, Jensen filled out the form to be mailed back to his school. All he needed to do now was stand up at the pack meeting and get Anders seal of approval on his decision. He unconsciously chewed on his lip. He had never stood at the bottom of the aisle in the meeting room, facing the top table of pack officers before, but he would do it tonight.

Beth told him he was acting like he was in pre-heat, as he moved the mashed potato around on his plate, making patterns as it became cold and inedible. “Just nervous.”

“Goodness, boy, you are a shoo in with Anders. He has asked about you each time I met him this year. He wants a productive pack member. You just remember to brush your hair before you stand up. I will have them saying I send you out scruffy.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Jensen rolled his eyes when her attention turned to the portable television. He asked to be excused and retreated to his room. He prepared himself with a little hair gel and lip gloss, uncomfortable reminders of his next and last claiming day.

“Jensen” Aunt Beth roared from the bottom of the stairs. “We will be late.”

Flinging himself down two steps at a time, he received an admonishment to act with more decorum. Then they ran for Aunt Beth’s two door rust bucket in the rain and drove the couple of miles from their home at the edge of pack territory to the meeting hall at its centre. Jensen noted the cattle paddocks and distant oil rigs in silence.

The first part of the meeting was as boring as ever, and Jensen wished he was allowed his phone so he could distract himself by messaging the guys. He saw George Ackles make his way to the question spot and rose to que behind the old alpha. Denise Silverberg and Kate Cole stepped in front of him but fourth was fine.

George asked for help with his beta-mate’s ongoing illness and Anders offered more regular house calls by the nurse. The sad case made Jensen’s hopes grow, seeing the need for medical care in the pack.

Denise’s omega son Karl would be having his seventh birthday soon and she wanted Anders to ensure there would be visiting alphas at the pack for the day. The Pack Alpha seemed irritated by her question and asked her why she thought he would treat her son any less than the other young omegas. 

Kate stood to her full alpha height. She had a pot of the alpha shaving balm that her lab had developed from their own production of petroleum jelly and herbal ingredients. She asked Anders to let her team start marketing it to other weres. Anders said he was happy with the sales among the werewolf packs. Kate argued that she could sell it to the werecats in Dallas. Anders flatly refused, saying they wouldn’t deign to interact with the pussyfooters and that they would hardly be a good market the way they castrated any males deemed to have flawed genes.

Jensen was almost distracted from his own rising panic, as he watched the alphas at the top table unconsciously move to cover their junk. He wondered if he had ever unknowingly seen one of the secretive Dallas werecats. 

Alpha Kate stood down, her face a portrait of displeasure as she brushed against Jensen. His palms were sweaty. He stepped up to the questioner’s place. He was sure his heart beat was loud enough to be heard at the top table. He licked his lips once and then again. He couldn’t form words. He couldn’t speak to all these alphas who had never considered him worthy enough to claim.

“Jensen, you have a question?” His granduncle’s voice was kind and low.

“Pack Alpha, I... I need to pick my subjects for the school year. I... I am thinking of health related ones, so to work with the doctors here, if I.... If I...” He couldn’t say it. Had never said it. “If I am unwanted...” His voice broke. He placed his palms on his thighs and hunched over trying to find his breath. It wouldn’t come. His knees went. He was vaguely aware of the Pack Alpha rushing to his side and stopping his head from slamming into the floor. Then everything went black.

 

Hushed voices drifted. Aunt Beth in a whining plea. Anders barking at her. Doc Beaver growling at them to be quiet.

“...you can’t do this. He is only seventeen. He wants to go to school...”

“I am doing it for him Elizabeth. This is his chance...”

“... how much will you get in dowry if one of them....”

“...not just a clause in the deal...”

“...he is too young...”

“I have made my decision.”

Jensen opened his eyes. He was in his own room. There between the guitar stand and the Nickelback poster was the Pack Alpha facing down his Aunt Beth. 

“Jensen, how are you feeling son?”

He looked the other way at the concerned face of Dr Beaver.

“’m good.”

The doctor took his pulse and then passed him a glass of water.

“You collapsed at the meeting. Cause quite a stir, boy.”

“’m sorry.”

“When did you last eat?”

Jensen tried to think. He couldn’t eat dinner. He had skipped lunch making his decision.

“I had a pop tart this morning.”

“Beth.” Anders growled. “He is too thin. Look at him. What will they think of us?”

Beth muttered an apology but glared at Jensen for putting her in the alpha’s bad books.

Anders took a seat on Jensen’s bed. The omega swallowed hard at the huge alpha towering over him.

“Jensen. You don’t have to worry about your school subjects, because you are not going back there.”

Jensen sat up wide-eyed, “But my friends, Chris, the band, my studies. Why? Is it because I was weak at the meeting? I’ll do better. I’ll remember to eat.”

“No Jensen. The decision is already made. Will you listen to me? Will you remain silent like a good boy until I explain everything? If you have questions then I will answer them.”

Jensen nodded.

“Ackles Oil and Richings Petroleum have been working together for years.” Anders started and Jensen raised his eyebrows. Why would the Pack Alpha be telling an omega about the business side of things?

“Your great-grandfather Antoine and Julian Richings had started as rivals but by the time the pack passed to me we were allies on the world market. We have finally concluded negotiations on a co-owned distribution company for our Texan and Alaskan oil with Richings' North Sea fields. Julian is sending his twelve year old omega great granddaughter Emily to live with us. One of my lieutenants will claim her.”

Jensen couldn’t breathe again. He could see the words forming in the alpha’s brain.

“You will go to Northumberland, to the Richings Pack.”

His lips formed ‘no’ but he obeyed and kept silent.

“Alpha Sheppard who met you at your twelfth requested you personally.”

Jensen raised his hand. His granduncle took pity on him. “Speak.”

“Am I to... to mate with Alpha Sheppard?”

“No. Alpha Sheppard is mated since. I am assured that Alpha Richings' own grandsons will court you. Their ways are different to ours. You will have a say in choosing one of the ‘candidates’, as they call them. You will live on the Pack Estate and Julian has assured me that your education will continue. You may ask me.”

“When?”

“Saturday.”

“This Saturday?”

“Yes. Emily will arrive with her alpha chaperone on Friday and he will accompany you back to England.”

“My friends?”

“I am sure you will be permitted by Alpha Richings to remain in touch with your school friends. Simon will not prevent Sally from communicating with you. Now Jensen, if you will excuse me I need to find out how the pack meeting ended. Greg will call with some suitcases for you to fill with your belongings. I will expect you and Beth at the main house on Friday evening to eat with us. We will toast your future and you can meet your chaperone.”


	2. Jensen: Leaving Texas

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Clenching in hands in to fists, Jensen resisted fiddling with the dumb ill-fitting suit that Aunt Beth had insisted he wear. He thought it might be Trevor’s, just a little too big for him and smelling vaguely of his omega friend under the detergent and fabric softener.

Beth made an effort to stand straight. Jensen winced, knowing her stoop was due to the early withdrawal of hormones, another burden of her barren life. She knocked on the solid wooden double doors of the Pack Alpha’s dining room. Simon opened the door and moved back to permit them entry. 

“Omega Elizabeth Ackles and her ward Jensen.” The alpha announced with a hint of a sneer for their statuses evident.

There was a commotion in the far corner and then a blur of flying curly red hair, pale skin, a black arm bracelet and silver sparkled skirts threw herself at Jensen. 

“Hi. I’m Emily Richings. I’m here for you to go to my home, and I’m twelve and you’re pretty.” She pulled back from him, leaving Jensen reeling.

She was cute, small for twelve but not so much for a twelve year old omega. She was covered, and Jensen meant blanketed, in freckles. He felt better about his own blemishes, if they were used to such flaws in the Richings pack.

“Hi,” he said.

“Great Grandpa is fitting out a cottage of your own for you.”

“Is he?”

“Yep. He’s really happy you are coming because Mark told him you are very beautiful and he wants one of my six unmated alpha cousins to have you.” Her voice dropped and she stood on tippy toes to whisper, “Which one Jensen? For me, do you think?”

His eyes followed hers as he noticed Brock and Travis had turned their chairs and their stares to face Emily. Didn’t she know that she had no choice, no say in this decision? He hoped Travis would choose her, at least he had a sense of humour.

“They are both fine alphas,” he whispered back.

“Come on. Come meet Seb.” She caught his hand in hers. He nearly lost his footing as she jerked him towards the long mahogany dining table.

Anders raised his head from where he had been conversing with Harold. “Jensen, son, come and sit by my side like a good wolf.”

An uncomfortable pressure was growing in Jensen’s chest. He didn’t want to be here. He wanted to go home and stick in his ear buds and go on facebook and have his Friday night message chat with Christian. He dropped his chin to his chest and slowly moved towards the offered seat.

“Have you packed?”

“Yes, alpha.”

“Good boy.” Anders patted the seat pad.

Jensen sat down only to hear his name sung in high-pitched glee. He swung his head round and right in front of his eyes encased in dress trousers was the largest bulge of alpha cock he had seen in his life. He gulped and attempted to stop his eyes from watering and his hole from clenching shut in denial at the sight. He unconsciously licked his lips and a breathy noise escaped. He raised his gaze to meet the wide grin of a blond curly haired alpha.

“Sebastian. Charmed to make your acquaintance Jensen. I hope we shall be good friends and maybe more if you favour me.” The alpha ran a hand up and down Jensen’s bicep. Jensen noticed that the alpha also had a black armlet. It was rude and invasive for an alpha to touch an unmated omega when not a family member or during a claiming day. Jensen flinched at the presumptuous touch but reminded himself that he had been told by Anders that customs were different in England.

“Nice to meet you too.”

Emily drew the stranger away letting Jensen settle down to an evening of picking at his food, shuffling his feet under the table, and accepting congratulations from the knotheads who had never wanted him.

A piece of dry meringue stuck in his throat. He closed his eyes and wished it was all over, but when it was, he would be that bit closer to leaving Texas forever. 

Trevor had collected the dessert plates and was coming around with a tall silver cafetiere offering coffee. He leaned in as he poured a half cup, “You lucky bitch, getting out of this hell hole. I hear you get to choose your mate. How in the name of Luna did you fall on your feet?”

Jensen gasped at the bitter tone from his supposed friend and former playmate. “Trev?”

“You sitting there in my suit, will you even remember me when I am dried up and unpicked, while you...?”

“Trevor!” Jensen pleaded.

The other omega planted the coffee jug beside Jensen’s arm with a bang and fled the room. Jensen stood to follow but Anders grabbed his arm and pulled him down. “Let him go Jensen. Don’t worry about him. Bernie will take him on his eighteenth.”

Jensen sagged with relief. He was deflated by Trevor’s jealousy and lack of sympathy with his own situation but he was glad to hear that the pack cattle rancher would claim him before the end of the year. He was distracted further by the British alpha announcing that Emily was going to retire. The girl skipped over and kissed Jensen on the cheek. “It is lovely at home,” she whispered in his ear, “and so are Seb and Stephen, but JD is kind too.”

Before he could ask more she was dancing in circles following the very well endowed alpha from the room.  
__________________________________________________________________

 

At 6.45am the following morning Jensen’s alarm blared in his emptied bedroom. His cases were gone, including his guitar case. His books were gone to the pack school, save for his Tolkiens in the hold luggage and his favourite David Gemmell in his hand luggage. All that remained in the room were his travelling clothes and the backpack. He turned over and covered his head with the sheet. It didn’t protect him from Beth’s screeching that he would be late. 

By the time he had slowly showered and brushed his teeth, Aunt Beth was standing in his room holding up his boxers as if he was still four and required her assistance to dress. It was pointless back answering on his last day, so he mutely accepted each item of clothing and put them on.

When he reached the kitchen his iced-up heart melted a touch. She had laid out a spread of freshly squeezed juices, bagels, pancakes and bacon. 

“Thanks Aunt Beth.” He mangled the words around a bite of cream cheese spreaded bagel.

All too soon she was awkwardly hugging him and the pack alpha and Sebastian were standing at their back door.

“Jensen,” Anders face was grave, “It is my duty to exile you from this pack. You are no longer an Ackles wolf. I wish you every good fortune in your new pack.”

It was like a blow to his sternum. Jensen knew he was changing pack allegiances but hadn’t expected such sudden finality.

Sebastian stepped forward with a six inch long leather wrap in his hands. He took Jensen’s right wrist and folded the supple black cuff around his slender arm. There was a brief smoothing of his skin in the dip on the inside of his wrist, and the alpha spoke under his breath, “such soft skin.” Jensen winced at the creepy comment. The older alpha was licking his lips as he adjusted the position of the leather. Jensen remembered to breathe while the other wolf laced up the edges making a smooth joining, then pulled tight on two buckles which intersected the arm cuff at equidistant thirds. Jensen turned his arm palm down and saw the graphic of the stylised wolfs’ head. “Welcome Omega-Jensen to The Richings Wolf Pack, new packmate.”  
__________________________________________________

Business Class, British Airways, Window seat A15, Omega Jensen Ackles.  
Aisle Seat B15, Alpha Sebastian Roché.

Jensen never felt so alone or confused in his life. His mind had barely retained the morning’s events, from Anders personally driving them to Dallas-Fort Worth. His chaperone producing a passport that Jensen hadn’t even known existed for him. The blur of the busy airport and the way they were herded onto the American Airlines flight to Newark. He had eaten none of the burger Sebastian had bought him in Newark but had briefly sparked to life at the pre-flight shopping when the British Alpha gave him $100. He bought some new bits at the cosmetics counter. It wouldn’t do to turn out ‘scruffy‘ as Aunt Beth called it, in front of his new Pack Alpha. There was a small wind-up toy of the Statue of Liberty which played a tune in the gimmicky tourist section. Jensen bought it, hoping he would be able to parcel it up and send it to Christian, as proof that he had been in the vicinity of New York, where the band had dreamed of gigging one day.

The air hostess who had cleared away Jensen’s uneaten in flight meal and was simpering in Sebastian’s alpha presence. Jensen scented the air. The slim Indian looking brunette was a beta were, but he couldn’t place her species. Sebastian was polite but firm in requesting that they wanted to be left in peace for a while.

“Dirty hybrid,” He muttered when she was gone, “My apologies Jensen. I didn’t know there would be such an abomination on our flight.”

Jensen blinked open mouthed. “What was she?”

“Wolf and Tiger. How are you doing? You haven’t eaten much.”

“I’m sorry. My appetite leaves when I am nervous.”

“Can I help? Would you like to ask me anything?”

“I don’t know. There is so much that I don’t know.” Jensen chewed on his lower lip. “I mean, everything is going to be different. Emily said I’ll have my own house.”

Sebastian laughed, and Jensen saw a friendlier side to the alpha. “Of course. Everyone mature and you are almost, has their own home at Richings. A few of the unmated grandsons live in the main house, as does Emily’s mother and siblings.”

“The unmated grandsons? The alphas who....” Jensen swallowed but Sebastian took mercy on him and answered the incomplete question.

“Not all alphas. There’s John and Zach, who are beta, but you won’t see much of them. They work in Gateshead and only come home on breaks. I can tell you about your candidate alphas but bear in mind I’m one, so I can’t promise to be unbiased.”

Jensen looked up and saw the twinkle in the other wolf’s eye. He gave a shy smile and nodded for him to continue.

“OK... Well, why don’t I start with the youngest and work up or the other way, yes the oldest. Mitch is a bit old to be looking to mate again. He’s a widower, so you’ll get a readymade family of Pileggi pups. Mitch is Grandfather’s eldest grandson. His mother scandalously ran off with an Italian wolf and came home pregnant and abjured by her lover. He works with the horses on the pack lands. He is a bald as a billiard ball.” Sebastian laughed again.

Jensen thought that asking about the Richings Alphas might not have been such a good idea after all.

“Then there are the brothers. JD and Joe. JD is the eldest of Julia Richings-Morgan’s pups. She had nine of them, the fertile omega bitch. Jeffery Dean, what a mouthful. He is handsome, even I’ll admit it. Looks tough but he is a softie under it all. Never aggressive, so if you want your alpha to have a bit of fight in him, I’d pass him over for Julia’s youngest son. Joseph is the one closest to you in age. He is 23 now. He has been a tearaway. Grandfather went so far as to cut off his funds for a while but he is calmer since he got his degree in business management. He is working in the investments office of Richings Petroleum.”

“You didn’t tell me what JD does?”

“Oh didn’t I? He used to work the rigs but he busted his leg. He is a supervisor at the refinery.”

They were interrupted by the captain giving a flight progress update announcement. Sebastian took a gin and tonic from the other flight attendant and gave Jensen an unasked for Coca-Cola. He was briefly distracted by the size and coldness of the little can, and the plastic glass with the perfectly square ice cubes.

“Then there is Richard. Dick is the joker of the family. He wanted to be some kind of film producer. Waltzed off to Hollywood for a few years and spent a fortune on straight to video releases. Came back with his tail between his legs, literally. He works in the advertising department now, making those slick commercials for Richings and plastering our logo on football teams, Formula One cars and tennis tournaments across the globe. He is short for an alpha. He is my closest alpha cousin in age and I used to tell him he was deformed growing up. He used to say the same to me.”

Jensen spat back up a drop of Coke when Sebastian cupped his giant crotch under the tray table and winked at the omega.

“Then there is little old me. You know what I look like. I live at the pack house. I manage the estate for Grandfather, as did my father. My omega-Mum is Grandfather’s only male omega child, of eleven children. Eight daughters, including Julia Morgan his other omega. Callum, my mother, and two alpha sons, Edward and Andrew. Edward died in a plane crash, leaving his beta son Lance, Emily’s father... Andrew is mated and on the company board but his mate is barren. So really it will be one of us grandsons, who inherits the pack. We think you are a test.”

“A test?” Jensen didn’t like the sound of that.

“Yeah. Not that whoever you pick will automatically be the heir apparent. There is a mated female alpha cousin and two other mated alpha grandsons for him to consider too. But Grandfather likes his games. How we treat you. How we court you. Your reactions as a stranger to the pack. We think he is going to analyze it all and use it to weigh for or against us in his Machiavellian mind.” Sebastian seated his tonic can into his empty glass. “There will be great favour upon whosoever you choose, and not just because they will be blessed to be your mate. “

Sebastian moved his hand over to squeeze Jensen’s right thigh. He had been doing that periodically since they took to the air in Dallas, but Jensen didn’t know if he was permitted to ask him to stop. He would just grin and bear it. Then his brain pinged. “I thought that there were six alpha cousins who would ‘court’ me?”

Sebastian huffed and made a strangled laugh, “Caught me out. Your other suitor. Stephen. He is 25. He’s good looking, I’ll admit it. He has that alpha stubble thing going on. He wasn’t raised with the pack. His mother Stephanie joined the Amell pack in Canada when she mated. He came to study in Leeds University. English and History would you believe? What use would they be to a Canadian farming pack or to Richings Petroleum? Grandfather took a shine to him. He is writing a book on the history of werewolf highwaymen and criminals during the Regency. Waste of space if you ask me.”

“Is he visiting the Richings pack?”

“No no. He is with us to stay. Changed his allegiance. Took off his Amell lapel button and asked Grandfather for a leather cuff in a dramatic gesture of the kind the old man loves. You might not see much of him. He is either secreted in the library or off spending pack funds visiting archives and universities.”

Jensen thought Stephen sounded the most interesting of the bunch. He asked Sebastian if he could put his empties on his table and clipped up the tray. He curled up in the seat, wishing it was acceptable in human society to shift to wolf.

“Take your rest little one,” Sebastian said kindly and tucked a blanket over him, “We have a long journey still ahead. We change in Heathrow for Newcastle and then a fair drive to Richings Bay.”

Jensen snuggled up as well as he could. Thoughts of home and shadowy alpha figures mingled in his half-sleep drowse. If his bear, Mr Guffy, wasn’t locked down in the luggage hold then he could have hidden the blue threadbare toy under his chin and imagined he was small again without a worry in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case you were wondering, Jared is in this story, Jensen just hasn't found him yet....


	3. Jensen: Richings (part one)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've halved this monster chapter. 
> 
> Second part to follow soon.
> 
> .

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

A weariness unknown before made Jensen’s body feel heavy and cold, even though the August day was warm and the late afternoon sun lit up the verdant landscape. He had sneaked the small blue teddy bear out of his luggage when Sebastian was in the bathroom in Newcastle airport. He knew it was dumb and he was seventeen, but he had Mr Guffy between his blue and white stripe t-shirt and his denim jacket, under his left armpit. He had yawned so much, since Sebastian’s alpha cousin Janice Morgan had picked them up at arrivals, that his chaperone had explained that jet lag seemed to effect omega’s sensitive bodies more than betas and alphas. Jensen had resisted snorting and telling him to see how sensitive he was when he wrestled Christian and Steve over who got to play lead guitar.

Still a bed, any bed, lumpy, small, old, covered in cat hair, any bed would be welcome. Jensen’s eyes were about to close when Sebastian put his damn wandering paw on his leg again. 

“Look Jensen in the distance there is the North Sea, Richings Bay and in a moment you will see the estate.”

They were cresting a hill which allowed a more distant horizon line and Jensen saw a ribbon of shimmering blue water. As the road twisted around another low peak he looked down on wide parkland, copses of trees, a small lake or large pond, semi-circles of small houses dotted around, narrow roads snaking through fields, some dotted with sheep, farm buildings, and a huge glasshouse, and dominating the grass lawn area was a massive house. It was the largest house Jensen had ever seen. Twice the size of Ackles Ranch, not quite his Aunt’s favourite Downton Abbey, but similar in appearance if not scale. 

“You’ll catch a fly,” Janice tittered as she drove.

Jensen shut his mouth but his wonder continued as they passed through intricately decorated wrought iron gates, passed a beautiful wolf’s head sign with ‘Richings Estate’ woven through the image, and a small chapel hidden amid trees. There was a welcoming committee at the main entrance steps. The car crunched the gravel as it stopped and an ancient wolf in a black suit walking slowly with a silver wolf’s head topped cane came down the steps. His arm was held by a smaller man with shoulder length brown hair, and open shirt with a freaking gold medallion and a moustache that he could have bought in a joke shop.

Stuffing Mr Guffy into the interior pocket of his jacket Jensen pulled his back pack with him as he eased himself out of the car. Almost immediately a young beta wolf in a maid’s uniform complete with her Richings arm-cuff, took the bag from him. He blinked and another wolf was next to him, but this servant only asked Sebastian if the welcoming party met his approval. Jensen remembered that his chaperone alpha was the Estate Manager. Sebastian took his arm and brought him over to the elderly wolf. Now that he was closer Jensen could see that the old alpha’s skin had that translucent parchment quality of the very elderly.

“Grandfather, may I present Omega Jensen Ackles, our newest pack member.” Sebastian bowed his head a touch.

Jensen momentarily panicked, unsure of what action he was expected to make. He had heard some countries with older traditions expected omegas to kneel before alphas. He tried bowing his head in a respectful deep nod. When he raised his face, the pack alpha was assessing him with a slight smile.

“Jensen, may I present our Pack Alpha, Julian, Baron of Richings Bay.”

The old alpha cleared his throat, “Welcome Jensen to your new home.” He smiled making one side of his lips rise higher than the other on his long face, “Mallory will take your luggage to your cottage and show you the way after we have eaten. Come in now, dear omega, and meet my family, your family soon.”

“Thank you for your kind welcome. I will do my best to make you proud.” Jensen said quickly to cover his nerves.

“Sweet boy. Such youth and beauty.” Julian spoke slowly enunciating each word carefully, “I may have our artist paint you in this summer light. Sebastian, send an e-mail to your cousin Mark in Dubai telling him I approve of his recommendation.”

They followed the Pack Alpha into a double storey wide wood panelled hall with twin staircases and a huge stained glass window depicting a grey wolf rampant. They turned left and were in a corridor style room with many long windows on the left wall. The ceiling had ornate plasterwork which extended in inverted peaks down the powder blue walls. There were maybe thirty wolves mingling around the room. The smell of honey roast ham and warm bread filled Jensen’s senses, overpowering the mix of alpha and beta scents in the air. His eyes focused on the far end of the room where a long table held a buffet. 

“Order Order.” A tall alpha in servant’s uniform called from beside the door. Everyone paused and looked towards them. Jensen took a sidestep to partially hide behind Janice and Sebastian.

“I want no moaning children, or adults, about the cold buffet for this evening’s repast.” Julian announced, his firm yet quiet voice projecting with alpha authority, “Flight times are notoriously unreliable. This is Jensen.”

Sebastian pushed him forward. Jensen cringed under the examination of so many eyes. He ducked his head and waited for whatever would happen next.

“Jensen?” The pack alpha called him and held out a gnarled hand. 

The omega stepped up to stand next to him. He took the hand as if to hold it, but Julian raised Jensen’s arm to show the assembly that he bore the pack mark of the arm cuff. There was a polite round of applause. 

“I will not overwhelm you with a torrent of introductions, young omega, but you must meet your suitors. They will come to you over the next few days to let you get to know them more.” 

Jensen nodded and his heart thumped hard against his hidden bear.

“Mitch, Sebastian, Joseph, Jeffery, Dick and Stephen, please approach.” Julian called as he seated himself in what could only be described as a throne like seat. Jensen stood at his elbow and prepared to face this group of wolves, one of whom he was going to spend the rest of his life with.

A well built bald older wolf with a male toddler trailing after him approached first. Jensen was all at once grateful for the spoilers Sebastian had gifted him, knowing this must be Mitch with one of his pups.

“Jensen, this is my daughter Marie Pileggi’s son, Mitch, and his son Carl.”

“Hello.” Jensen offered, he wasn’t sure what he was meant to say.

“Pleased to meet you.” Mitch smiled and lifted Carl up so that the boy could see Jensen better. It was a loving gesture to his pup, and Jensen wondered if he could overlook their age difference in favour of gaining a kind alpha who would be good with their pups.

Mitch turned away and the alpha who had accompanied Julian outside stood in his place.

“And this is Richard, my daughter Marina’s alpha son.”

“Dick.” The alpha said and came forward to air kiss next to Jensen’s cheek. Jensen almost went cross-eyed trying to find out if the moustache was fake.

When he looked back from watching Richard’s return to the crowd, there was a handsome smiling alpha in his place. The smile extended to the wolf’s eyes which warmed Jensen’s heart. He was young with buzzed hair and a slight stubble.

“Stephen my long departed daughter Stephanie’s only pup,” Julian’s own perfect diction held warmth for this alpha.

Stephen stepped forward, “May I?”he asked, and waited for Jensen’s slight nod before hugging the omega and whispering, “Welcome, Jensen, if you are homesick I have some American boxsets and the fastest broadband connection on the estate.”

Jensen smiled at the thoughtfulness of another wolf who grew up on the other side of the Atlantic. The alpha’s voice was soft with a Canadian lilt. It was attractive. Jensen found it odd that the first attribute of one of his candidates that he was even mildly turned on by, was voice.

Then two very different looking alphas stood before him, each one making small movements to try and stand ever so in front of the other. 

“Jeffery and Joseph Morgan, you have met their sister Janice.”

“JD.” The older swarthy alpha stepped up. His smile was warm and he shook Jensen’s hand with a firm grip. “Welcome to Richings.”

“Joe. I also extend heartfelt welcomes.” The young wiry alpha with hair more like Sebastian’s than his brother’s also shook Jensen’s hand, but went further to pull Jensen towards him and breathe in his ear, “I can get you anything you need, you know.”

Jensen didn’t know. Had he just been offered drugs? Or maybe someone who would buy him things in the city?

Sebastian stood before him but Julian refrained from introducing him again. “Come eat.” Sebastian took his hand and guided him through the crowd to the long white tablecloth covered table.

It was tiring work, meeting all the new wolves, and apologising in advance that he would not remember their names. He handed his half eaten salad to a young server and asked which wolf was Mallory. The boy pointed out the beta, and explained that Mallory was a Richings cousin and Alpha Andrew’s valet. He also told Jensen that he couldn’t just slip out to find his cottage, but had to go and take his leave from the Baron.

Julian was precisely slicing into his leek quiche when Jensen approached him to ask for permission to go. 

“I understand young omega, you must be exhausted from your travels. Sit a moment before you leave us.”

Jensen took the next chair. 

“After you have met with each of your candidates for the first time, I would like to speak with you about which three you plan to take further. Then we will talk once again about which you prefer.”

“Will that then... will that be my final choice?”

“No until you are mated you may change your mind between the final three, however once you have promised to one of them, it is not seemly to flit between them.”

Jensen nodded his understanding. It was so utterly different from at home. This limited choice placed power in his hands but he was uncertain he could use it wisely. How was he meant to learn from a handful of meetings, dates he supposed, who would be a kind, faithful, loving mate?

“Give yourself a few days to settle in. Find your feet. My unmated daughter Jane is going to IKEA tomorrow afternoon to purchase new furniture for her home, if you wish you may accompany her and buy any items you feel are missing from your cottage. On Wednesday your tutor will arrive. I wish you to be prepared for our education system. He will assist you in choosing your A level subjects and catch you up on any cirricular differences.”

“Thank you.” Jensen meant it. He had forgotten that Anders had promised his education would continue.

Mallory moved quickly down the path to Jensen’s new home, as the omega trailed in his wake, eyes wide at the parkland, garden features and the gravel paths. 

“How is it still bright?” Jensen didn’t realise he had spoken out loud until the other wolf answered.

“We have long summer days and long winter nights. You might sigh in wonder now, but wait until December when the day barely brightens.” Mallory quirked a grin over his shoulder. “Here we are.”

They rounded a bend in the sloping path and Jensen saw a looming semi circle of grey stone single storey cottages with little front gardens and cute half-doors. The hip height gate to his new home had a wooden nameplate. Someone had gone to genuine effort to make him feel welcome. He had a visceral emotional reaction to the exquisite depiction on the sign. His name was made of green vine-like script. It was surrounded by detailed and vivid drawings of Texan symbols. A butterfly with wings extended was under the large J of his name, a yellow rose curved around his final ‘n’, a mockingbird in flight topped the J and the right corners held a bluebonnet and a lone star. He traced his finger over the raised green paint of his name.

Mallory cleared his throat and handed Jensen a yale key on a string. “Your bags are inside. We have stocked your kitchen with breakfast and lunch essentials. Evening meal is taken at the main house. Your bed is turned down Omega Jensen. We have left the windows open to air the house, but if you find it cold, the thermostat is in the panel in the hall.”

Jensen thanked him and waved him off. Entering his new home for the first time was an unreal experience. It would be his until his eighteenth in the New Year, and maybe beyond if his alpha was one of the grandsons who only had a bedroom in the main house. It was cosy. There was a short hall with steep stairs and a door either side. The left opening led into a whitewashed, stone flagged sitting room, with two small windows and wood beamed ceiling. His guitar was leaning against a three seat sofa with a red chenille throw. There was a fireplace stocked with logs.

The right door opened into a kitchen complete with modern IKEA units, a single door tall fridge and a pine kitchen table with six chairs. There were two small windows here too, and a back door. Upstairs the left side held a bathroom with bath and shower cubicle. His bedroom was bigger than his one in Aunt Beth’s house. It was also whitewashed. There were yellow curtains held back with green ribbons. His bed was queen size with a side table. There was a double wardrobe and a stool fronted dressing table. His suitcases and back pack were on top of a shaggy sheepskin rug. He sank down on the bed and decided he liked the cottage. 

A while later seated up on his bed in his PJs with Mr Guffy placed on the bolster cushion beside him, Jensen made a short list for Ikea; guitar stand, electric coffee maker, towel rail, new curtains, a shelf for his books, and a bedside lamp. He added (laptop) in brackets, as something to ask about later.

__________________________________________

After a breakfast of strange UK cereals called Alpen and Golden Nuggets doused in creamy cold milk, Jensen was surprised by the sound of a phone ringing. He traced the noise to his sitting room and answered the call. It was Jane Richings arranging their trip to IKEA for noon.

It was warm and sunny when Jensen stepped into his front garden. It was like a spring day in Texas, not the height of summer, but it was too warm for the layers he had donned. He ducked back in and emerged wearing a black Foo Fighters tee over his older denims. 

His heart lifted as he made his way up the footpath. Maybe it would not be so bad here. There was a spring in his step when he realised he had walked out of his own cottage. ‘My cottage’, he thought to himself. The gravel path curved into the trees as it wound around Jensen’s home. The cottage was at the edge of the semi-circle of six houses. The line was broken by the driveway in the middle letting the wolves park their cars in the central gravelled space. 

Just as Jensen broke the tree line into open parkland and the final couple of minutes walk to the main house, he noticed someone was standing further downhill. At first he thought the tall figure was staring at him but when he paused to check he realised that the person’s body was turned a fraction towards the lake. The man raised a hand to his brow, shielding his eyes from the midday sun. Then he hunched over a little and wrote or drew on a small pad. Jensen forgot he was keeping Jane waiting as the tall man’s body turned a touch more in Jensen’s direction. He was beautiful, this tall male form in profile. He must be alpha, with his powerful shoulders and cloud tipping height. His hair was multi-shades of chestnut with golden hints caught in the sun. His skin was tanned, and Jensen realised he didn’t bear any leather cuff. Maybe he was human, but as soon as he thought it, he dismissed it. There was a were-like grace about him and an alpha’s presence, even with the distance between them. Jensen imagined being picked up by those strong arms. He blinked and the man was gone.

________________________________

Jensen didn’t see the mysterious stranger in the flesh again until after his first candidate rendezvous. Two nights in a row the tall alpha had appeared in his dreams, leaving Jensen panting with the type of need normally restricted to his heats. 

Mitch had asked him to lunch, and Jensen had accepted. Let down would be too kind an expression. Mitch had taken him to Mickey D’s for burgers and fries. Initially the omega had given his suitor the benefit of the doubt, thinking perhaps it was a gesture to let an exiled American wolf experience a piece of home. However when Mitch groused about the price of a quarter pounder and looked aggrieved that Jensen wanted some pie for afters, the teenager thanked Luna that the older alpha had revealed his mean streak before things got any further. Mitch didn’t even walk him home, explaining he needed to collect his son from a friend’s house and driving off from the easy turning spot by the chapel. Jensen made his way through the woods, figuring his sense of direction would give him a chance of making easy progress to the cottage. 

The trees broke for a glade with a Grecian or Roman style statue of Luna on a pedestal. Jensen knew this was where the pack runs began and ended. There was an easel set up about twenty feet from the stone goddess. A director’s style folding chair and a palate of oils sat beside it. Jensen’s curiosity got the better of him and he walked the tree line to see the picture. It was an incomplete painting of the statue caught in slanting rays of sunlight and surrounded by emerald trees. It was stunning. Jensen wondered where the artist was, and if the same wolf had done his personalised name plate. He waited a few moments but no-one appeared. Only when he was inside the trees on the opposite side of the glade did he hear a voice say “Kurwa” loudly and he turned. It was the handsome tall alpha. He was closer than the last sighting and he could see that the guy was in his early twenties with almond eyes and a hint of stubble on his jawline. The man didn’t see Jensen in his shaded spot, as he watched the alpha comb his hair back off his face with his fingers and toss his phone onto the chair. “Fucking Kurt. See if he’d like it if he was told he couldn’t speak to his friends.”

Jensen didn’t know who Kurt was and what kurwa was, but it was clear the alpha was upset. It was not the time to make introductions. He crept silently away, but wondered why he hadn’t seen the other guy at the main house and why he was on pack land when he clearly was not a member.

________________________________________

Jensen just couldn’t find the opportunity to ask about the artist. He had his date with Joseph. A migraine inducing night at a club in Newcastle, complete with fake ID, tequila shots, scantily clad human girls, and a pounding David Guetta set. Joe had regaled him with stories of Joe and how great he was at everything. If self-praise was a virtue then Joseph Morgan would be a saint. 

With ringing ears and a tight pain behind his eyes, Jensen decided he needed air and tranquillity. He put on his walking boots and hiked through the more overgrown copse of trees heading south along the narrow river bank. It was just what the doctor ordered. He had an appointment with the tutor after lunch, and he needed to regain his wits before then. 

The trees thinned and parted to reveal a tumbledown cottage overhung by the canopy. The garden was bright with gladiola and rose bushes. Jensen was drawn forward to see this quaint piece of England. There was a paint splattered smock like garment drying on an umbrella style washing line to the side of the cottage. There was nameplate on the pillar next to where a gate should have hung. Jensen’s yellow rose was to the right of his name, this time the rose stem curved into the capital J. A red poppy, a white eagle, a thistle, a bunch of heather and a bluebonnet surrounded the black vine script on the pine. Jared. Was this the artist’s house? Was Jared the artist? Jensen traced the J of the name with his finger, and wondered where the man was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
>  Kurwa is Polish for fuck.


	4. Jensen: Richings (part two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Non consensual sexual touching (brief but could be triggering to some)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Jensen could hardly believe it. He was sitting alone in Stephen’s bedroom at 4am on Saturday morning.

Stephen had grabbed him after dinner on Thursday and asked him if he was settling in and if he would accept him as his running partner for the full moon. Jensen found himself pleased at such an inspired ‘date’. He had always felt like an outsider at Ackles, especially when he ran, either trailing Beth or alone with no promised alpha or siblings to follow. Running, maybe playing, with another wolf, brightened his mood and he nearly missed Stephen asking if there was anything he needed. Jensen asked if he could use his internet. Before he knew it they were having coffee in a corner of the drawing room and he was telling Stephen about Christian. This led to Stephen sleeping in a guest room on Friday night and Jensen coming into the main house through the kitchen door at 3.30am. He was flicking between twitter and tumblr while he waited for Christian’s name to appear on his chat list.

Jensen_OA: Hey

Kane_Chris: Where are you Jen?

Jensen_OA: England

Kane_Chris: You nvr said you’d a vacation

Jensen_OA: not on 1

Kane_Chris: ????

Jensen_OA: I’ve been sold

Kane_Chris: WTF

Jensen_OA:  My mating has been exchanged as part of a business deal.

Kane_Chris: That is human trafficking! Dude! 

Jensen_OA: I’m not human.

Kane_Chris: NOT the F-king point. I’m dialling 911

Jensen_OA: Stop.... Chris..... Please.... come back on chat.... what are you doing?

Kane_Chris: I hung up. Why? 

Jensen_OA: It’s werewolf law. It wouldn’t help. It might make things worse for me.

Kane_Chris: Are you OK???

Jensen_OA: Yeah. Alone but OK

Kane_Chris: I’m gonna write to the were-creature security at the Secretary of State, tell them where you are. I’ll find out the werewolf contact at the American Embassy in London.

Jensen_OA: Won’t do any good but if it makes you feel better.

Kane_Chris: It does. What is like there?

Jensen_OA: Cold

Kane_Chris: It’s August. Seriously?

Jensen_OA: Yeah. I’m in layers.

Kane_Chris: LOL. Steve got us a gig at the county fair.

Jensen_OA: Cool Man! You rock!

Kane_Chris: So do you. Don’t you forget it.

Jensen_OA: I won’t. I’ve got my guitar.

Kane_Chris: Damn right.

Jensen_OA: Gotta go. It’s morning here, and I have a date later today.

Kane_Chris: A date? You?

Jensen_OA: Yeah I’m hot stuff here. I’ll fill you in when I can use this alpha’s computer again. I’ll DM you if you are not online.

Kane_Chris: Take care Jen. I can’t fcuking believe you R not north of Dallas.

Jensen_OA: I am, LOL, just very far east as well.

Kane_Chris: Bye 

 

_________________________

 

Jensen didn’t go back to the cottage. He didn’t want to presume to sleep in Stephen’s bed, so he curled up as wolf on the love seat in the alpha’s adjoining study. He woke late and went to the kitchen in search of some toast and coffee. He was chewing on honey and bread when Joseph wandered in looking the worse for wear.

“Jensen, what a pleasant surprise.”

“Good morning alpha. You look like you had a hard night.”

“I blame Calvin Harris and Daft Punk, and a sweet pretty human.” Joseph winked.

Jensen managed not to scrunch his face in disapproval. 

“I need some air. Are you staying at the house for a date? Or an appointment with Grandfather?”

“No. I’m on my way home.” Jensen put his plate into the huge sink.

“Care for an escort?” Joseph asked and Jensen didn’t see any way out of it.

The alpha retrieved a pair of large sunglasses and a water bottle, before they walked the few minutes down to the cottages. Joseph was surprisingly quiet only moaning about the pain in his head.

As they rounded the slope before the path entered the semi circle, they almost stumbled over the easel and the artist. 

“Sorry, kurwa, shit. I didn’t see you coming Alpha Morgan.” The tall alpha flailed his limbs, tilting his easel sideways pulling it out of their way.

“What sort of idiot are you Cat, blocking the footpath?”

“Sorry.” He pulled the seat and box of oil paints onto the lawn so nothing remained on the gravel.

“I don’t see why Grandfather had to bring an outsider into our midst.”

Jensen watched as the tall werecat obviously swallowed his ire, “Alpha Richings liked my portfolio and my style.”

Joseph huffed. “There had better be something worth displaying in the new gallery after putting up with your feline stink for months, Jared.”

Jensen shot the artist an apologetic look. He didn’t think the alpha smelled bad. He didn’t get a chance to tell him, because Joseph grabbed his hand and pulled him away. He could feel the heat from those fascinating feline eyes radiating into his back.

_______________________

 

It really was unfair to Sebastian, but Jensen couldn’t concentrate during their date. They were at a fancy restaurant in Newcastle, complete with French menu and mile long wine list. The food was delicious and Sebastian’s intimidating cock took great interest in the orgasmic moans Jensen couldn’t prevent his throat making around the melting mouthfuls. 

Jensen was still discombobulated from the encounter between Joseph and Jared. He had learned the artist’s name and species. He wondered what Jared’s cat form looked like. Sebastian caught his mind drifting.

“Am I so boring?”

“No, alpha, I’m sorry.” Jensen blushed. “I am tired is all.”

“Ah yes. I heard from housekeeping. You slept in Amell’s bed.”

Jensen almost died of shock at the implications, but then he saw the twinkle in the older wolf’s eye. “I didn’t . I slept in his study. I was chatting to my best friend.”

“I know.” Sebastian moved his hand to cover Jensen’s. “You left hair on the chaise longue. Don’t worry. They are not talking about you. I know because I know everything that happens in the house.”

Jensen swallowed and took a sip of his iced water. He left his hand on the table underneath Sebastian’s. It was rather nice. If only the alpha didn’t have an appendage which would spilt him in two.

When Jensen got home there was an envelope shoved under his front door. He tore it open under the porch light and saw a sketch of his head and shoulders. He traced the pencil lines in awe. He was sure that Jared had flattered him in the depiction. He folded it up and burst into the sitting room. He grinned as he secreted the sketch in the lining of his guitar case. It seemed Jared was secretly admiring him as much as he was in return.

______________________________

Every bone in Jensen’s body ached on Monday but he was in a bouncing buoyant mood. He played the band’s Foo/QOTSA/GreenDay montage on his guitar after breakfast and then headed out to enjoy the sunny day. The pack run had been fabulous. Julian had lowered his hand from his position in front of the Luna Statue and everyone shifted spreading out through the estate. Stephen was a glorious wolf with golden highlights in his coat. Jensen felt inferior with his grey ordinary pelt next to him. The alpha had waited for him and playful nipped his heels to get him out of his funk. They had run to the beach, spending hours chasing the retreating waves and barking at the bats which swooped low out of the cave roost. Finally they collapsed in a heap amid the sand dunes, and Jensen woke to his muzzle being washed by the alpha’s warm tongue. They had sauntered back to the Luna glade and shifted retrieving their clothes. Stephen seemed almost embarrassed when he was in human form again. He apologised for taking liberties and curling around Jensen in the dunes. The omega had to reassure him that he had enjoyed every minute and the alpha was placated when he left Jensen on his doorstep with a chaste kiss on the cheek.

Jensen caught himself skipping towards the dip in the parkland that Sebastian had called a haw haw. It was a ditch to keep wandering sheep from the gardens. Jensen had never seen a sheep close to it and wondered if it was a relic of a bygone age. The plan was to walk along the edge of the ditch and then take a turn around the lake. 

Jared was sitting in the ditch. Jensen pulled up and stood still. There was a terrible noise. It was Jared. He was making a low keening yowl. Jensen didn’t know whether to make himself known and offer comfort or move away as fast as he could to give the alpha cat some privacy. The alpha had a letter crumpled in his hand. Jensen wondered if he had some bad family news. He wanted to go to him, but Jensen was a stranger and a wolf. He turned around, not longer full of the joys of life. His heart bled for the artist, and suddenly how alone they both were hit Jensen hard. 

_____________________________________

In the end it was Jensen’s tears that brought Jared and Jensen to converse with each other. 

It was late. Jensen didn’t know how late. The fading fullness of the moon still lent plenty of light to the cloudless sky. Jensen was curled in on himself under Luna’s statue. He felt too dirty to enter his new but already loved home. He was a dirty slut. That’s what Richard had said as his hand explored down there in the backseat of the car on the way home. Jensen had froze. He hadn’t protested. He hadn’t asked the alpha to remove his fingers. His spit licked probing digits that invaded Jensen, while he growled and spat cruel words like bitch and whore. He said omegas liked it rough. They got off on an alpha who would keep them in their place and that place was riding their alpha’s cock. He said he knew Jensen was like that. Jensen shook his head, but Richard only grinned and moved forward, brushing that slightly wet moustache over his chin and bruising his lips with his teeth. The alpha’s breath smelled of garlic from their tapas meal, where Richard had shocked the young omega with lewd comments. They had only been comments then but the alpha acted on them afterwards, and Jensen didn’t like it at all. He squirmed on the fingers hoping that his soft cock and dry passage would give the sleazy wolf a hint. 

As they pulled in through the estate gates, Jensen was saved by the chauffeur asking where to first. Finding his voice Jensen squeaked , “My house.”

“Oh no, Jensen is coming home with me. My house, driver.”

“No!” Jensen was louder than he intended and Richard withdrew his fingers leaving a sickening burn. 

As Jensen scrambled to pick up his jacket and throw himself out of the car, Richard wrinkled his nose and scented his fingers, “Dirty slut, you smell of virginity, omega tease. Why would any of us want you?”

Jensen was at his door when the car U-turned and pulled out of the close. He raised the key to the lock but couldn’t go in. His breath shortened and he needed to be somewhere else. He ran for the glade before he knew what he was doing. He didn’t think any wolf would come there but he curled up at the rear of the statue in case someone took a late night stroll.

His body sagged worn out from sobs. Richard’s cruel words ran through his head. Why would any of the Richings alphas want him? Were they only courting him under sufferance? Would he be refused when he made his choice? Sent home to Texas in disgrace?

“Hey? Hey? Little omega, what are you doing out here?”

Jensen looked up craning his neck to see the werecat’s face full of concern and worry for him. 

“I’m sorry.” Jensen mumbled.

“Hey honey, how about you tell me what’s got you all riled up?” Jared sat on the grass next to him but kept a respectful distance between them.

“I led Richard on. I wasn’t demure enough. Aunt Beth always said I had no decorum. I put myself out there and he took what I wasn’t offering.”

“God in Heaven, he didn’t? What kind of pride do you wolves live in? Did he?”

“He didn’t rape me.” Jensen ducked his head down, “but he would have, and I would have let him. I froze. I didn’t stop him.”

“And just how were you meant to stop him?” Jared looked incredulous. “If he was cat, his balls would be forfeit.”

“I hope his moustache falls off.” Jensen pouted. He looked up as Jared laughed heartily. 

“Is it truly fake then?”

“No.” Jensen smiled wanly.

“Oh.” Jared sounded disappointed, “I had a bet on with myself that it was.”

“How do you bet with yourself?”

“I’m very creative.”

“I know. You did my house name plate.”

“Did you like it?” Jared’s eyes glowed with anticipation.

“I loved it. I love it. It reminds me of the best parts of home. I saw yours.” Jensen added nervously, “You had a bluebonnet and a rose too.”

“Caught me. I’m half Polish, half Scottish, but my favourite aunties married into the Dallas Pride.”

“So are you Jared McArtist or something?”

“Padalecki.”

“Huh? Padlicki?”

“Padalecki. Alpha Jaroslaw Trofim Padalecki when I am in Krakow. Or Jared Tristan if you are my Mum or not Polish, and you kochanie? What’s your full name?” Jared ran a hand through his hair.

“Omega Jensen Ross Ackles. It’s not really a name though.”

“What?”

“It means Jens’ red haired son of the Ackles pack.”

“By the powers vested in me, by the Cat Goddess Palu, and in my role as official artist, I hereby name thee My Kochanie Jensen.” Jared laughed.

Jensen found that his heart had lifted and he met the chuckle with a smile, “What a mouthful. What does it mean? Your silly Jensen?”

“Ha! That is my secret for you to find out.”

Jared stood and held out a hand. Jensen took it and was pulled to his feet. Jared walked him home, listening as the omega told him about Mitch’s mean streak and Joseph’s self-admiration.

The alpha left him at his door like a gentleman. He didn’t attempt to kiss Jensen but rubbed the soft skin between his thumb and finger before he shifted into a stunning deeply striped wildcat and dashed into the trees.

__________________________

 

JD took Jensen to the cinema. It turned out the older kind eyed alpha was a Star Trek fan. Jensen knew a Trekkie in Dallas who came to school in his Starfleet uniform. JD was not so deep in the fandom, but he was like a schoolboy himself buying their tickets. 

Jensen was delighted that they were actually in the movie theatre to watch the feature, and not have ‘nookie’ in the back row like Christian told him was expected of a cinema date. The fact that JD kept his hands to himself, recommended him highly.

At the fish and chip shop afterwards, over battered cod and large floury fries, the two wolves debated Classic vs. Revamp, Stewart vs. Mulgrew, Pine vs. Shatner and Quinto vs Nimoy. Their shared derision of DS9 and admiration of Seven of Nine, led to a discovered shared love of Tolkien and the original Star Wars. Jensen was shocked at his own actions when he back slapped the alpha’s arm accusing him of bribery and coercion. JD had said if he was one of his final three he would take Jensen to the special IMAX screening of the director’s cut of Blade Runner. 

The following day in Jared’s garden making a daisy chain, Jensen had told the cat every word of his date while Jared primed a new canvas. Jared informed him that they were all wrong and that Data beat Seven of Nine. Jensen ‘s throat was sore from talking and laughing by the time he went home, his hand swinging with Jared’s copy of Feist’s The Magician, a fantasy novel he had always intended to read but never got around to.

_________________

 

He blamed nerves and his own idiotic tendency to drift off in his thoughts. He wasn’t intentionally making his way toward Jared’s cottage after the summer downpour. He was walking the river bank, trying to decide what to tell Alpha Richings that evening. He had completed his six dates, and he had to eliminate three alphas. There was no problem there. JD and Stephen were the only two he would like to meet again, but he had to add a third. 

His mind full of his choices, his footing slipped on the fresh mud. As soon as his ass hit the ground he knew he had done something bad to his ankle. 

He must have cried out without realising because he had only hopped a few feet on one leg when Jared was sweeping him up into his muscled arms and holding him, cradling him close to his chest. “Kochanie, what happened to you?”

“I’m dumb. I slipped.”

“Only one of those facts is true. Come on little omega, I’ll check that foot out for you.” Jared vaulted the waist high wall of his garden and pushed open the back door of his cottage. The home was arranged like Jensen’s cottage. The back door opened into the stone tiled kitchen. Jared set him down on the table top. He gently rotated Jensen’s ankle causing twinges of pain.

“A sprain. I’ll strap it for you.”

Jared pulled out a first aid kit and set to work. They didn’t speak as Jensen watched fascinated at the efficient way the alpha worked. He put away the kit. Under the sink the alpha found a clear glass bottle and poured a measure into two glasses topping it up with a splash of apple juice.

“Tatanka. It is like medicine.” Jared passed a glass to Jensen.

Jensen licked his lips and knocked back the offering. “Oh.” He blew a puff of air, “It is like apple pie. It is alchemy!”

“No magic. It is Zubrowka vodka and apple juice. You needed a stiffener I think, “ Jared leaned back against the cooker and cracked a grin at the omega.

“You have any other supernatural food or drink in here?” Jensen teased.

“I do.” Jared tapped the side of his nose.

“You do not.”

“I do.”

“I don’t believe you.” Jensen crossed his arms.

“Here then.” Jared had something in his fist. He hovered it in the air until Jensen cupped his hands to accept it. It was a piece of chocolate. Jensen sucked it, a little obscenely, but he was in a teasing mood. He was about to tell Jared that it was very nice creamy milk chocolate, when all of a sudden the back of his mouth sparkled. He was tickled by pinpricks and his tongue danced with stars. “Popping candy! I don’t believe it. Where did you get it?”

“In a shop.”

“Where?” Jensen demanded.

“In the village.” Jared smiled. “You want another square?”

“Do I what?” This time Jensen was ready for the popping and his laughter rolled from his belly. Jared’s broad smile made Jensen laugh more, and he was struck by the thought that this was the first time he had really truly let himself go, be Jensen, be free, since he had arrived in Northumberland.

_________________

Jensen was not drunk on Tatanka at the evening meal. He might have been on a sugar high from all the candy. He was limping and had been flattered by all the concern from his new packmates. After the meal, the imposing rotund Alpha Andrew, the CEO and son of Julian, brought him to the pack alpha’s private sitting room.

“What happened your leg, Jensen?” The alpha’s head tilted in concern.

“I slipped in the mud this afternoon.”

“Who tended to you?”

“Jared was close by, he strapped it up.”

The alpha raised his eyebrows but didn’t comment. He tapped his stick on the carpet. “I like you Jensen. You are an impressive omega. My grandsons like you. Some maybe too much?”

Jensen’s eyes shot up.

“I have my sources. I wish to apologise for Dick’s behaviour. He has fallen in my esteem.”

“Thank you.”

“For what little one?”

“For not thinking that of me.”

“I know my family Jensen. So have you made your choice?”

“Stephen.”

“Yes. He is a fine alpha, and....”

“JD.”

Julian tilted his head, “The age difference does not concern you.”

Jensen shook his head. He sucked in his lip. Sebastian or Mitch. Mitch was miserly but he had observed the alpha with his family and he was a good father. Sebastian was amusing and generous but Jensen was honestly afraid of his knot.

“Well?”

“Sebastian.”

“And your A levels?”

Jensen blinked. He hadn’t expected to give all the decisions.

“Biology, English Literature, Music and History.”

“An interesting combination. I will engage a history tutor for you, as the subject will focus on our history rather than that of America.”

Jensen waited to see if Alpha Richings was about to forbid any of the subjects. They were what he wanted to study, rather than ones that would lead him down a defined career path. 

“Fine. I’ll inform the school. I know you will do the pack proud.”

Jensen hoped so. He couldn’t wait until tomorrow. He had promised to pose as the ‘wolf in the grass’ for Jared’s painting of the lake with the glasshouse in the distance. He wanted to tell his artist friend that the baron had approved his subjects, even the music. He wanted to tell him he had picked Sebastian as the third choice. He wanted to tell him that he sneaked into Stephen’s rooms and googled Kochanie, and he knew that it meant Honey as in darling. Something comfortable nested in his chest. He vowed to find out the Polish for handsome and tease Jared by using that name for him.

________________________


	5. Jared: Scotland

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Jared ran as hard as his short legs could propel him. He fell once grazing his knees on the stony path. Snot and tears fell down his face and into his panting mouth. He screwed up his lips at the yucky taste.

His mother was planting young tender annuals in their cottage garden. Davina rose when she saw her distraught son racing to meet her.

“Jaroslaw, what happened? Are you hurt?”

“No Mummy. They hurt Mish. They stood on his tail. I tried to stop them but they spat on me and called me a peasant. What is a peasant Mum?”

“They are jealous, Jared. You are bigger and faster and more alpha than them and you have a Mummy and Daddy who love you very much.”

That didn’t make sense. Misha was smaller than them, he was only five. Jared was seven and he knew that wasn’t it. “They hate us, me and Misha.”

“No baby. They don’t hate you. You are different when you shift to cat. You and Misha have your fathers’ blood. You should be proud Jared. Remember that next week school will be over and we will all go to Krakow to your cousins.”

“Misha too?”

“No pet. Misha must stay with his Mum and Dad and his sister.”

“I will draw him a picture.”

“Will you?” Jared’s tears had dried. His mother pulled him closer, balancing him on her knee.

“Yes, Mummy. A big picture of me, so he will know it is me when we come home.”

“That is a very good idea. My clever alpha boy.”

Jared shifted then and curled up in the pouch of his mother’s apron. He giggled and mewed as he was bounced around when she dug into the fresh smelling earth. He stayed in cat form until his Dad came home from work and he had to help with the packing for their summer of travelling.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

His legs extended down the hillock and his elbows propped his shoulders off the thick spring grass. Jared lifted an arm allowing him to take a drag from his cigarette. He passed the butt to Misha, poking him with his leg to get his friend to open his eyes. 

Misha took a deep inhaling drag. “So you are definitely leaving?”

“Yeah. For Uni, Mish, not forever.”

“Might as well be.”

“Moaning Myrtle.”

“Am not.”

“Are too. Give me back my Marlboro.”

“Isn’t a real one.”

“It is too.”

“Why is the writing in Polish so? It's from one of the packs your Dad brought back from Krakow.”

“Still real. If you don’t want to smoke, then I won’t share them.”

“You stole them.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Do you ever wish they had stayed?”

“Who?”

“Our grandfathers. That Przemyslaw Padalecki and Vladimir Krushnic hadn’t taken the Scottish prides up on their offer of refuge, hadn’t fled?”

“We’d never have been born Misha. Our grandpaps would have died at the hands of the KGB or the Stalinists.” 

“I just wonder. I mean you go back every summer.”

“Only since Dad found he still had cousins there. Your Dad could try and find Krushnic cousins.”

“Do you wish they had changed your name… to McPaddle or McPalin?”

“No, Mish. Anyway Collins isn’t even like Krushnic, and your grandpaps accepted it from Alpha Orlaith when he took your grandma as his mate. Why all the questions?”

“I dunno Jay. I’ve just been thinking about our pasts and our futures with you going away to Uni.”

“Come ‘ere you idiot.” Jared lifted an arm and Misha snuggled against his chest. “I wish you were omega, Mish.”

“Hmmm, yeah?”

“I’d take you as my own.” Jared stroked Misha’s hair. He meant it. He knew Misha didn’t feel that way about him. Misha was a beta and he was straight, with a permanent crush on the alpha’s older daughter Rachel. 

“You are a handsome cat Jared with your European mountain cat markings and thick brown Scottish stripes. Any fertile would be honored to have you…”

“No they wouldn’t. I’ll die a dried up old unmated alpha like Jock Moody. I may as well have been born a hybrid freak.”

“No Jay. I don’t believe it. There is someone special out there for you.”

Jared’s long limbs wrapped around his friend. His hair dropped over his eyes but he didn’t push it back. Misha purred against him, seeking the natural safety in his alpha scent. Jared’s arm tightened around his warm kind friend.

He knew Misha was worried about their mixed blood. Neither boy was pure Scottish wild cat. Their faces were unscarred. All pure blood pride members bore the triple lines of their pride alpha’s claws on their left cheeks. Where would they find mates?

Were-cats were not exactly common. Many thought the Scottish pure blood cats extinct. Jared travelled to his American cousins and his father’s Polish ones. He was going to Brighton to art college in September, and yet he had rarely met a were-cat outside the pride and his family members. He could mate another were, but hybrid kittens were frowned upon even more than mongrels like Misha and him. Misha was beta, he could mate, marry a human, and have non-were children, but Jared’s spiny alpha cock prevented that option for him. 

“Jaroslaw! Dmitri!”

It was Sandy, the McCoy girl who Misha had kissed after the Christmas dance. “Fellows, where have you been? Alpha has started the weekly meeting. My omega-mum sent me out to find you. Come on before you are missed.”

Jared and Misha pulled each other to their feet and dragged their heels behind the pretty omega cat, as she led them in the side door of the pride hall, letting them slip in beside their parents before role call was taken.

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jared slammed the front door with his trademark foundation shaking force. He called out to his parents that he was home, dumped his bag, and flopped across the sofa. He had only paused in his fluid movement to ensure his black art portfolio was securely propped against the front of the upright piano. 

He was bouncing in the seat when his Mum appeared. He leaped up and grabbed her in a swinging hug.

“Put me down, Jared. I swear you have grown since Christmas.”

“Hey Mum. Where is Dad?”

“Witaj w domu, synu!” His Dad popped a head in from the hall, “Just back from Kristen’s. She gave us a cake to welcome you home. Come on Davina, drag our boy in for supper.”

“How was college, love?” Davina asked her son.

“I think it went well. The external assessor liked my stuff. I’ll get the final decision soon, but my tutor told me on the QT that I’ve made it into second year.”

“Good boy, Jared,” His father ruffled his hair and served up a portion of brown beef stew. 

Jared’s mouth watered. He missed his mother’s cooking. Kristen’s cake looked scrummy too.

Around a mouthful of soft beef and carrot Jared commented “I have to go see Misha.”

“Wait. Finish your meal.” His father put his hand over to rest on Jared’s arm.

“Dad,” the student protested, “I’ve eaten all my veg.”

“No, Jay. Wait. This isn’t really about you clearing your dinner plate. Misha isn’t at home.” Tomasz took a deep gulping breath. “The alpha arranged for him to be mated to Kurt and Julie.”

Jared sat back down. His legs wouldn’t hold him up. “He can’t have. Misha didn’t want that. He is beta. He should have his own family.”

“The alpha explained that it is for the good of the pride. This way they retain the benefit of Misha’s caregiving but his genetic taint will die.” Tomasz intoned the words without inflection.

“Dad. That taint is our taint. Fucking purebloods. Sorry Mum, I’m not including you and sorry for cursing. Why? Why did Alpha Blackthorne do this? Misha isn’t omega.”

“Because he isn’t a pure blood and you need to remember Jared neither are we. You can’t go racing off to confront anyone about this. They won’t listen and you’ll attract the wrong type of attention.”

Jared gulped. He ached to find Misha and see for himself how he was coping. He couldn’t imagine his friend was happy with the arrangement.

“The pride is funding your art college. The alpha knows the pride will benefit from your salary as a teacher. However….”

“What? Oh Lord, Dad, what?”

“Alpha wants you to enlist in combat training classes, martial arts and all that while you are at Uni.” 

His father couldn’t meet his eyes. Jared looked at his mother who hung her head. He knew it. This was the pride’s plan. They would work him as a teacher but geld him to be the alpha’s children’s bodyguard. Jared couldn’t stay in the room, in the house. The chair clattered to the floor as he raced out into the darkening evening. 

He found himself in the Fuller’s back garden. He shifted and hid his dark form under the myrtle bush. He watched the lights move from room to room. Finally he saw Misha’s cat form curl up on the windowsill upstairs, while Kurt and Julie remained in their dining room watching television. He shifted back and threw a fist full of tiny pebbles to Misha’s window. 

He didn’t wait long until Misha’s head peeped out the back door. Jared sneaked under the dining room window and leaped the final few feet to pull Misha out the door and into a hug. “Misha!”

His friend silently took a pace back into the house, “I’m not allowed outside Jay, and you must use my promise-name.”

“Kurt re-named you already?” Jared gasped. The exchanging of special names, sometimes only for affection between the couple, sometimes completely new names, between cats meant they were promised, engaged, had declared their intention to mate.

“Dmitri-Doll.” Misha cringed and blushed violently.

“Fuck this. Run away with me.” Jared whispered vehemently.

“Can’t Jay. They have already claimed me. I’m no longer pure.” Misha whispered back.

Jared looked down. He didn’t want to, not really. He didn’t want to see. Misha was wearing loose track pants. Jared couldn’t tell. Misha caught him looking.

“Not yet Jay. You know even Alpha Blackthorne won’t break tradition. No gelding until I’m twenty-one. But it doesn’t matter, no cat is gonna want me now. I have a place with Kurt and Julie and their kittens. You go now Jared. Go and be the best cat you can be and don’t come back here. Forget about me and don’t let Alpha do this to you too.”

“Misha.” Jared’s voice broke. He leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together. 

There was movement from further in the house. A female kit mewed in her animal form. Misha pushed Jared out the door, stared at him, mouthed good luck, and closed the door.

Jared spent the night on their grassy slope. His fur was matted, cold and damp when he woke from a restless sleep. 

He left for Poland with a heavy heart. In September he spent less than a day at home collecting his belongings and train tickets to Brighton. He didn’t seek Misha out, but saw him standing in the window of the Fuller house, giving his best friend a silent salute. Jared returned his wave and turned his back on Piseagard for the last time.

He did his second year of college. He took the self defense, judo, and tae kwon do classes, and he enjoyed them. 

He knew they wouldn’t geld him until he was twenty one, and maybe not until Calvin, the current eunuch bodyguard, was ready to step down, but when Christmas came, he spent it down south, and when Easter break arrived he pleaded the need to get his end of year show perfect. That summer he boarded a plane for Texas from Heathrow and flew back via Poland, never setting foot in Scotland. 

In his BA year, he threw himself into his work, a fusion of sculpture and large oils, creating a space for the viewer to experience. He didn’t look for romance, but a human called Jonathon took the studio space beside him after Christmas, and Jared had found himself going for a few dates with a bit of harmless grinding in sweaty student digs. Jonty helped him compose his letter to the Pride Alpha asking for permission to take a gap year. The human boy was fascinated with were-cat culture. He wanted to know all the differences between it and the more known werewolf society. Jonty advised him to talk up how using his BA and his talent to attempt to build his reputation as an artist, would be of benefit to the pride, and how even if he didn’t make it as an artist, if he could sell some pieces then that would only add to the pride’s income from his teaching.

By the time his father called with the permission, Jonty had fallen for a wolf called Charles who happened to own a gallery in The Lanes, Brighton. Tomasz gave Jared the money that he would have used on his plane tickets and Jared went to London to stay with Alona, a friend from college. He was in his artist’s costume of an old-fashioned smock and ridiculous attention grabbing floppy hat, selling paintings from a mobile easel on The South Bank when Alona came running with two iced coffees and a copy of the Werewolf News. 

“Look, Jared. It is perfect.”

Jared took the iced coffee first. It was hot work sketching for tourists in the sun. He saw the advert immediately. The Richings Wolf Pack wanted to give a young artist a residency at their pack. The candidate should be willing to stay on the pack lands and any works completed would form part of the new collection of Alpha Richings. The residency would conclude with a sponsored show to launch the successful candidate in the art world.

Jared knew he could to the job. He wanted it, badly, and went for it with all his enthusiasm and energy. Two weeks later as July brought the first real hot day of the year, he was on a train to Northumberland.

He watched the light change from the more European sun slanted skies of the South to the greyer more subtle beauty of the North. If he stayed on board, the East Coast Main Line would carry him home. He had vowed never to go back. He could never go home. He could never see Misha or any of the pride again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Witaj w domu, synu = welcome home son


	6. Jared: Richings

Jared was grateful to Julian Richings. He didn’t treat him as any less, even though wolves believed cats were a sub-species. He was impressed with his talent and had offered him the residency without questioning why he had no letter of recommendation from a Pride Alpha. The wolf had stressed that he was taking a chance on Jared, and in response the young werecat had promised not to let him down. The Pack Alpha committed to deal with any insults or bigotry from his pack, but pointed out that Jared could help by staying out of the way, not presuming to enter the main house without permission and producing art of a quality to silence his doubters. 

Jared spent the first week settling into his new home. His cottage was one that had been abandoned when the new semi-circular groups of homes were built in the 1970s. He was given the isolated home of a former gardener, in order that no wolf neighbors would have to put up with his feline pheromones. He preferred it. It gave him space and peace to work. He did some light sketching and made himself a name plate for his home. 

Officially he had Saturdays and Sundays free, but inspiration could hit at anytime and Jared would whip out his postcard sized sketchbook even at weekends. However on the first weekend he went back to London to collect the rest of his things, his books and fold up bicycle. Alona had taken him for a walk along the South Bank to say goodbye to London. They sat in the empty Turbine Hall in the Tate and Jared filled her in on what it was like in Richings. He had yet to form a final opinion but the landscapes and seascapes were impressive and his nose had not become allergic to wolf overexposure like in one of his Texas cousin’s urban myths. 

He was perched on a rock near the sand dunes preparing his first seascape inspired piece, his mind flitting to an emerging image of the pack Luna statue caught in dust mote slanted sun, when he saw the estate manager waving to him. 

“Alpha Roché.” Jared acknowledged wiping his charcoal marked fingers on his jeans.

“Alpha Padalecki.” Sebastian nodded. “Will you come to the main house? Grandfather would like to see you.”

Jared walked alongside the wolf, his stomach churning. He wondered if he had done something wrong. Had the Pack Alpha expected a piece already? Surely the old wolf knew things didn’t work at that speed.

“You like it here?”

“Yes, alpha, the vistas are inspiring. I plan to paint the house too, and maybe the glasshouse.”

“Are you concerned? Your scent has changed.”

How rude, Jared thought but only said, “I had not expected to be summoned.”

“I saw your name plate. Well, one of the gardeners saw it and commented to me. I went and looked. It is impressive. I believe Grandfather is going to ask you to paint a new sign for the main gate.”

Jared heaved an audible sigh of relief causing Sebastian to quirk a grin at him. Signwriter was not in his job description but he was willing to do it as a favor, and if it was admired by visitors that could only enhance his reputation.

Sebastian had been honest with him. Julian and Jared spent the afternoon designing the new sign. Sebastian was called in to arrange for the materials Jared would need. 

“Now, good cat. Will you have a drink with me?” Julian leaned back satisfied.

Jared nodded and took the offered brandy.

“I have a matter to discuss with you. One that will require your discretion.”

“I can be discreet.” Jared swallowed a large gulp of the fiery liquid. He hoped he wasn’t going to be asked to do a nude. He could do it. He was pretty good at life drawing. He just didn’t like it, and if he had to live in same pack lands as the nude wolf, then Jared wouldn't be ashamed but sometimes those who posed were afterwards. It could cause tensions, and that was the last thing he wanted. This was his new start. He would avoid rocking the boat if at all possible.

He had lost track of what the pack alpha was saying, he was talking about his great-granddaughter joining a new pack and how Sebastian would return on Sunday. Would Jared do a name plate for the pack member who was replacing Emily?

Jared was relived at the request. He shelved his reservations about being a signwriter and nodded his assent. “What is her name?”

Julian smiled indulgently, “Did I not say? Emily’s counterpart is a male omega. Jensen, J E N S E N.”

Jared pulled his small pad out and wrote the letters down. “What would you like on the name plate? A wolf’s head like on your pack cuffs? Or does he have a favorite pastime or color?”

“Use your initiative Jared. He is Texas born and bred, maybe that will help you.”

Jared blinked, he’d missed where Emily was going to. “Does he have an occupation?”

“No,” Julian actually laughed. It was a strange noise. “Were you not listening? He is seventeen. He is coming to mate with one of my grandsons. I can trust your discretion? You will stay apart from him? He is an unmated young omega. If this was the old days, all non-suitor young alphas would be banished from the pack until the omega made his choice, but we are in modern times. I am placing my faith in your honor.”

Jared thanked the Pack Alpha. On his way back to the beach to retrieve his art materials, he vowed to be business-like and efficient in his commissions of the two signs, and to be aloof and respectful to the new young wolf omega.

His resolve lasted less than a day. Having painted a forest green background on the new entrance sign, he thought how good the letters of the omega's name would look in that deep green. He spent the afternoon drawing out different combinations of Texan symbols and different scripts for the omega’s name. As he worked his imagination took hold. The poor wolf would be homesick, perhaps he had no say in being sent to a strange country. Even if he had volunteered he would be lonely and in culture shock. Jared had heard whispers about the Texan wolves. The wild Austin pack, the uppity Houston pack and the brutal iron grip that Anders Ackles held on his pack. None of his cousins had a good word to say about the werewolves. Still this wolf was an omega, he couldn’t be held to account for the actions or attitudes of the alphas of his home state. He imagined if he had taken Aunt Ailsa up on her offer of a place to stay for the summer. Would he move permanently to Texas if it was offered? He knew he wouldn’t. He was considered just as impure in his genetics by the Dallas Pride Alpha, and he had no doubt that as soon as he pledged his allegiance to the pride he would find himself minus two very important bodily features.

On Sunday morning Jared was screwing the completed name plate to the gate of the omega’s cottage when he heard a cough behind him. He ran a hand across the sign. He was hugely proud of it and prayed that the young exile would find it a good welcome to Britain. He stood up and turned, towering over Dick, the stunted sleazy grandson. 

“Is that for Jenny-wolf?”

“Is that his nickname?” Jared was surprised at the girlie epitaph, but some omegas liked to rock the androgyny thing.

“Naw. I’ve decided on it. I might get him to wear some nice pink panties when he mates me. I’ve got a thing for them.”

Jared blushed hard. He spluttered to say what an inappropriate comment it was, but the alpha had winked at him and made an obscene jerking movement with his hand, before heading to another house in the circle. Jared saw one of the Morgan betas open the door and Dick disappeared into the cottage.

If he had felt sympathy for the unknown omega before, he was starting to worry about him now. It was ridiculous. He didn’t know the boy from Adam. He kicked himself for getting so invested already. His father had cautioned him time and time again to curb his protective instincts, but that was just how his alpha-nature manifested.

The powerful light of noon on a sunny day had Jared walking the parkland picking likely spots for an interesting vista. He was deciding on an angle for his plan of the lake with the glasshouse behind it. He considered putting a wolf pup at the water’s edge, or an adult wolf sunning him or herself in the grasses. He was getting better at making his wolves look like real wolves and not a dog or a strange monster creature, like in his early sketches. 

There was movement in the corner of his field of vision. He noticed a young wolf appear from where the path forked towards the cottages. He was pretty and sweet looking, so easy on the eyes. Jared squinted a little to focus his vision. The young man was beautiful. His casual clothes did not detract from his beauty, rather they created a background for his fine features. Jared wondered how to recreate the color of his hair. It was honey blond, like honey in a full unopened jar. His nostrils flared to scent the air but the wolf was too far away. He thought it could be the omega, but wasn’t sure. The wolf turned his body towards him and Jared raised his hand to his brow not wanting to be caught rudely staring. Jared raised his postcard sized pad but didn’t draw, instead he wrote piękny wilk.

Jared put the omega to the back of his mind, like he had promised Alpha Julian. Wednesday was showery, not conducive to outdoor painting. He spent the morning tidying up the garden of his cottage. The day cleared up after lunch and he trekked across to the Luna glade. He had just removed the cling film from his incomplete work, when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out. It was a text from Alona asking how it was going for him. He sent back a quick reply explaining he had a brush in his hand and would call later. He noticed a missed call symbol and brought up the screen. His mouth went dry. Misha had tried to call him. He took a couple of steps back into the trees and rang him. His heart was in his throat. 

“Fuller's.”

“Can I speak with… “ Jared squeezed his eyes very tight with the pain of saying it, “Dmitri-doll, please?”

“Who is this? Is that Jaroslaw?”

“Yes, is that Kurt?”

“Doll isn’t taking calls.”

“Please Kurt, I just want to speak to him.”

“Listen to me you sneaky deserter, don’t call here again. Until you are ready to come back and play your part for the pride, you are dead to us.”

The line went silent.

Jared slammed his fist into a tree trunk. He couldn’t paint like this. He stalked back to his easel and once he had calmed himself, he packed up for the day.

The next couple of days saw him finish his beachscape. The peace and quietness of the windswept sands helped him regain his own equilibrium after the confrontation on the phone with Kurt. When the piece was done, he propped it up in his sitting room. Once it was dry he would ask for an audience with the baron to present it.

On Saturday Jared’s muse was flying. It was his day off but he scribbled ideas on torn out sheets all morning. Then he took off full of enthusiasm to do a watercolor of the lake from above. In his haste to get the image out of his system and onto paper he didn’t notice he had set up across the path.

While he rinsed out his brush in the old jam jar, the younger Morgan brother stubbed his toe on Jared’s paint box. This was not good. He wanted to stay under the radar, not invite the pack’s bigoted comments. He apologized and hastened to pull everything out of the way.

Alpha Joseph called him an idiot and sneered at him. After the week he had had Jared desperately wanted to let his alpha-cat out. He wanted to claw out eyes and mark up that vain cur.

What was the lovely omega doing with him? Couldn’t the little wolf see what this alpha was like? 

When Joseph mocked his alpha-tom-cat scent, Jared had it on the tip of his tongue to retort how stomach churning he found the alpha wolves’ stink. Then he saw the omega looking at him. Jensen had such a sad worried expression. Maybe the omega was different. Maybe the beautiful boy was more tolerant of others. Jared remembered the wolf was far from home. He thought of Texas and Aunts Ailsa and Shirley. He could almost feel the power of the Dallas sun on his back and he tried to project some of that warmth to the young wolf in his returning gaze.

He spent the evening ignoring the XFactor auditions on his television while doing a line drawing of Jensen’s face from memory. In a fit of romantic impulsiveness he ran to Jensen’s cottage. He wanted to thank him for not being like Joseph Morgan, but the omega was not at home. Jared slumped in defeat. What had he been thinking? He was a cat and an outcast. He had promised Alpha Richings that he would keep his distance. All the same he could not deny the omega his intended gift and he slipped the envelope under the door.

Jared opened his tea bag tin on Monday and it was empty. He would assemble his fold way bicycle later and cycle into the town for a few supplies, but he really needed a mug of tea in the morning. He knocked at the servants’ entrance to the main house. Mallory opened the door. He told Jared to wait while he got him a box of tea from the pantry. He was shifting from one foot to the other when the postman arrived. 

“You’re the were-cat aren’t you?” The human asked. Rude but not intentionally so. 

“Yep. Meow.” Jared teased. It was his standard tension breaker with humans who called him out.

“Nice to meet you. I have a letter for you.” 

It was unexpected and postmarked Piseagard. His parents were in Dallas, or maybe Krakow. Sandy and Ossian knew where he was. It must be one of them.

He tore open the envelope on the way back to his cottage.

It was from Misha.

_Dear Jay,_  
Too short a page to write it all.  
Kurt and Julie are with me and will send this to you for me. They have chosen to keep me. I’ve met their expectations.  
Don’t come home Jaroslaw.  
My orchidectomy is scheduled at the outpatients clinic on September 3rd.  
Remember – Live …………. For both of us and never come back here.  
I won’t forget you.  
Dmitri 

Tears ripped from his eyes. He was frantic that he would be spotted by one of the wolf pack. He dived into the ditch in the lawn. He needed a moment in private. The dampened sheet of paper scorched his fist. He tried to stay quiet but audible mewling broke from his throat. He gradually pulled himself together and made it home.

His palates and brushes lay abandoned. His muse had deserted him. He shifted to cat and spent the next two days with the curtains closed staring at the wall, wondering how Misha could keep going.

By Wednesday he still hadn’t lifted a pencil, charcoal stick or brush. He was lucky that he had been fairly prolific since he had arrived or he might be out on his ear with nowhere to go. He wondered if seeking inspiration would work. He went to see the Luna statue in moonlight, hoping the sight would help him with the painting’s final wash and touch up. 

Dreadful distressing sobs rolled over the amplifying contours of the pack gathering place. Jared startled. What had he walked in on? He traced the noise to see Jensen curled up in a ball with his fists in his eye sockets.

“Hey, hey little omega. What are you doing out here?”

Jared couldn’t bear to see such hurt. He wanted to wrap his arms around the boy and hold him like he used to Misha when the bullies got too rough. He was shocked at the abuse that slime ball Dick had inflicted on Jensen. Jared would not let his instinctual wrath control him. He did his best to cheer the sweet wolf. He whooped for joy inside when Jensen’s tears dried up and a smile broke on that beautiful face. He was pleased and proud when Jensen told him that he loved the nameplate.

Something stirred inside of him. He listened to Jensen’s harmonious voice and breathed in his sweet honeyed omega scent. He had a buzzing in his groin and a fluttering in his chest. His mind whispered ‘mate’ and ‘yours’. He thought of the legend of the forbidden love of Alpha Diarmuid and Omega Grianne. How Diarmuid-cat had fled with his young omega love saving her from mating to an ancient wolf king. Their forbidden love was his favorite myth. 

A formal exchange of names was an important cultural milestone between members of separate prides. He was thrilled when Jensen gave his own full name and explained its meaning. Then Jared was really presumptuous. He almost didn’t do it, but something glowing and needy inside him prompted him. The fluttering in his breast encouraged him. He re-named the wolf. If his father knew he would murder him, string him up by the balls so many pride alphas would slice off given the chance. The omega was clueless. It was Jared’s secret that he had just gained a fiancé.

Kochanie Jensen. It sounded good on his tongue as he walked home. He took up his pencil and sketched some kitten-pup hybrids in the back of his private sketchpad. They were kittens really. They would be as he was the alpha, his genes dominant, but there would be something wolf about them, maybe their eyes, or their coat, maybe even their teeth or tail.

Dreams of puppy like kittens and Kochanie heavy with his litter made for fitful night’s sleep.

Sunday was bright and warm. Jared tossed up a swim in the bracing North Sea or priming a new canvas. The second choice won when Jensen turned up with a wrapped tuna sandwich as a thank you for Jared’s shoulder to cry on. They chilled out and chatted all day. It was comfortable and felt like home in a way Piseagard never did. Jared hung Jensen’s daisy chain over his bed post until it wilted.

The day after the one when he had laid his hands on Jensen’s bare skin to wrap his tender slender ankle, had introduced his secret fiancé to Tatanka, and seen Jensen’s dazzling smile, Julian Richings called for him.

Jensen was due any minute to pose in wolf form for the long planned lake and glasshouse painting. Jared pulled a sheet from his current pad and scribbled an explanation. He tucked it into the door jam and followed Janice Morgan to the main house.

“Alpha Padalecki.” The baron motioned for Jared to sit on the armchair opposite his own in the small wood paneled study.

“Alpha Richings.” Jared gave a head bow and sat.

“You know why I have called you here?”

“No sir.”

The elderly alpha raised an eyebrow.

“I am willing to purchase your completed works and give you a £500 bonus…”

Jared’s heart stopped.

“… or you can remain the pack artist in residence and have your career launching show?”

Jared gulped, his heart beat too fast.

“You will stay away from Omega Ackles.”

Jared made a noise too feline to be comprehensible.

“Do you understand Cat? The boy is promised to my family and under my protection. I warned you before his arrival. I did not convey my meaning clearly enough. Have I now?”

“Yes, Alpha Richings.” Jared forced the words out. The meaning was clear as day.

“Good. Now I want you to accompany Stephen to Bristol. He has a collection of letters in private ownership which he needs to consult for his book. I want you to visit my daughter Marina’s pack and view the art that Dick Speight Senior has on display.”

“Oh, no problem, sir. Can I tell Jensen…..?”

He was interrupted, “Stephen is on his way to tell Jensen of the trip. You understood the part about not speaking to our omega?”

“Yes sir.”

Later, an overnight bag packed at his feet, Jared hugged his knees and wondered at life’s cruelties. He was alone again. Cats coped better than many with solitary existences, he told himself again.

His fantasy was shattered. That is all it had been, one of his immature flights of fantasy. A Walter Mitty dream of Jared and Jensen and hybrid children and long summer nights in a world where it never rained and you weren’t an outsider, and you didn’t have to leave your family behind, and your pack or pride protected you no matter what your DNA or your gender. Jared didn’t care if he had tear tracks when he slid into the passenger seat of Stephen Amell’s car. He was grateful when the wolf put on the radio and didn’t try to make inane small talk. The only problem was that he could smell Jensen from Stephen’s clothes. He must have hugged the omega goodbye. Jared wished he had been permitted to embrace his Kochanie, that he could look forward to hugging him but it was all bleached emptiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> piękny wilk = beautiful wolf


	7. J2: Decisions (part one)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

As dawn broke Jensen made his first decision of the new week. There was no way that Jensen was going to show any of them at Richings just how affected he was by his shitty few days. 

He didn’t flinch when Dick started calling him Jenny, just politely corrected the wolf each time. 

He didn’t die of embarrassment when Sebastian took him to a medical appointment for their second date. The regional were-creature clinic was in Morpeth and Jensen had nearly died of mortification when he was introduced to Dr Kingston. The cheerful beta was an andro gynaecologist, a specialist in male omegas. Sebastian had the cheek to ask if he felt more comfortable about taking his stupid overgrown cock after talking to the doctor. He had been reassured by the calm professional way Dr Kingston had explained the way a mated omega’s body will adapt for their alpha. She promised if Sebastian was his mate then his body would stretch to accommodate the freaking horse sized appendage. She even mentioned hybrid mating, asking him to consider how the omegas were able to conceive when their other species mate had a knot, spines, or was a corkscrew. She even told him about an Australian mixed couple where the alpha had a bifurcated, double tipped, penis. Jensen was horrified, yet strangely comforted, at her descriptions of hybrid matings, and found it easy to placate Sebastian as he took him for a tour of Morpeth Castle.

Jensen also managed to keep stony faced and stony hearted on Friday morning. He didn’t show his disappointment when JD changed his mind about Blade Runner as their second date but instead took him on a tour of the dirty and extremely noisy refinery, and then proceeded to tell him that he expected his omega mate to join him at work. 

Friday afternoon was a worse disaster, but he didn’t say a word about the handsy old human at Humboldt’s Tailors who took too many intimate measurements for his new school uniform. He could have told Jared or Stephen, but his two favourite people were away on business. Jensen hugged his knees and leaned back against the rear of the Luna Statue’s pedestal. He knocked his head against the pillar and closed his eyes. He remembered Stephen pulling him into the hug when he said such a British goodbye, “Cheerio Pet.” Jensen had smiled into his strong shoulder feeling safe with the gorgeous alpha. Stephen had taken Jared with him. Jensen was surprised he missed the werecat so much but Jared was his only friend at Richings. 

A saying popped into his head ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder’. Was that true? Was he painting Jared and Stephen in a glowing light? Why was he thinking of Jared this way? He had dreamed of him again. This time they were on the beach and Jared was trying to reach for him, to tell him something, but the wind was whipping his words away and Jensen’s windbreaker was plastered to him as he tried to walk towards the cat in the driving rain. Jensen had woken up in a ball of sweat and not been able to get back to sleep. He put his hand down between his legs. His thighs were soaked and his hole still leaking slick. He was wet, like for his mate, like in the throes of his heat. He wasn’t in heat. He was burning up and if he had his knotting dildo to hand he would have rammed it in for relief, but wolves’ cycles only ever varied by a day or two. He had the calendar circled for September 20th, the first fall equinox day. Callum, Sebastian’s omega mother, had already pulled him aside and told him to join the other omegas and come up to the main house on the 19th for seclusion, if he didn’t want his intended to try and breed him before their mating. 

Jared had done this to him. Well dream-Jared had done it. Jensen pictured his long limbed, shaggy haired, dimple cheeked, hazel almond eyed, firm jawed, large handed, warm, kind, compassionate, talented friend. His hole twitched as Jensen had a light bulb moment. “I like him.”

This was so complicated. He couldn’t _like_ Jared. He was a cat. He wasn’t on the very short list of mating options. Jared probably didn’t think of Jensen that way. Jensen’s heart squeezed painfully tight with memories of all the alphas over the years who had never wanted him, and that old unwelcome feeling that there was something wrong with him crept back in. 

He needed to talk to someone. There was no Jared. It was the early hours of the morning. Stephen had said he was welcome to use his computer. As quiet as a hunting wolf Jensen crept into the main house via a side door. He winced when the stair creaked but got to Stephen’s bedroom undiscovered. 

Google was Stephen’s homepage. Instead of clicking on the favourites for Skype or facebook, Jensen found that his fingers were typing in ‘Polish Translation for Hi Handsome.’

CZEŚƇ PRZYSTOJNIAKU

What the fuck? How was he meant to pronounce that? Scratch ‘handsome’ from the list of Kochanie affectionate comebacks. Jared was half Scottish too. Maybe he knew some Scots Gaelic or slang. He had a similar problem with the pronunciation, what was with all the accents and consonants in both languages? One website suggested bonnie, but that sounded like a cow’s name, and another said Scottish guys sometimes called their girlfriends Doll or Dolly. There was no way Jared was a doll. He was a freaking giant. Jensen kicked the leg of Stephen’s desk. Jensen racked his brain through Texan pet names and ones he had read in books, but they were all too girlie, or insulting, or just not Jared. He huffed in defeat and logged into his facebook. No Christian on chat, he was probably too late. He checked his friend’s profile page and saw on his status that the band had a gig supporting a local signed rock band at the UT college bar. He was impressed and depressed in equal measure. Pushing his tongue into the soft flesh of his cheek he checked his new email account.

Kane_ChrisRocks@johnsonhigh.edu.net  
TO: Jensen.Ackles@RichingsPetroleum.private.co.uk  
Hey,  
Alpha Rick Worthy, Special Were Contact, American Embassy, London. He’s a werelion and our envoy to the EU feline were authority. I googled him. You should too. I rang my cousin David, you know the lawyer at Boreanaz and Denisof. He asked a colleague who said they can’t force you to mate in the UK. That it is EU law. They have a court of ‘human’ rights and it ruled years ago in the case of an Austrian Wolf Pack. All this crap about you having six alphas to pick from is BULL, Jen. Under EU law omegas cannot be forced to ‘marry’. Google is a goldmine. Start looking up your rights Jen. There is no way to force them to let you go and break your pack allegiance but they can’t tell you who to mate with. There is a big article online on The Guardian Newspaper website about how Pack Alphas hide all this from their packmembers.  
I hope you read this before you are put in a corner.  
I won’t be online this Friday. We got an actual paying gig! Will help pay back my Dad for the Burning Man ticket. Yea, so I won’t be online next Friday either cos I’ll be in Nevada at Burning Man... wish you could be too.  
Rock on.  
Chris. ;-(

Jensen stared at the screen slack jawed. He knew he should write a reply and thank his friend, and wish him well in Nevada, but he rested his hands on his lap and tried to let his brain catch up with the information. 

He didn’t have to mate any of the Richings Grandsons? Under the law he could choose anyone, if they would have him? But he was still a pack member. He looked down at the leather cuff. He still had to live here. Julian was still his pack alpha. What use was a law to him?

What would he do if Stephen’s date turned out to be as much of a blow out as the other two? He tried to imagine life with Sebastian. The ‘medical’ date had been cringworthy and presumptuous, but Jensen believed it came from a good place, that it showed Sebastian had considered his needs. He powered down the computer and stuffed his hands in his pockets. A few early risers passed him on his way home, but he didn’t talk to them.

_________________________________________

It was torture. Jared didn’t know if he could stay. On Sunday night Jensen had knocked repeatedly at his cottage door, calling out that he had a present for Jared to welcome him home. Jared had hidden under the bed in his cat form, his claws gouging lines in the polished pine floor boards. His heart and soul told him to alpha up and go downstairs and open the door. His mind screamed at him that he was a coward and he was throwing his mate into Alpha Amell’s willing arms. But what could he offer the omega except a life on the run and hybrid offspring?

He rang his father as soon as it was a decent morning hour in Krakow. He didn’t tell him about Jensen. He couldn’t speak about him. He just told him thing weren’t working out at Richings, that being surrounded by wolves was too much. His father understood and asked what he could do? He could hear his mother in the background talking about Aunt Ailsa’s offer of a life in Dallas. Jared pleaded that he needed time to think and asked his Dad to find out from Aunt Magda where her daughter was living while going to college in Scotland. Jared hadn’t spoken to Adrianne since they were sixteen but she had been to see her Uncle Tomasz since Jared had left the pride.

He began to pack up his stuff. Not obviously, because he wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he took his books off the shelves and packed them back into their boxes. He went through his clothes and put some aside for laundry. He sorted through his works and selected those he could make a quick job of finishing for the wolf pack. He abandoned his new sketches and packed those pads in with his books. 

With a heavy heart he braved leaving his house. He needed to take some photographs of the house from the sheep fields to finish off his newest work. He could set up his easel there, but it was too exposed. His peripheral vision saw a piece of paper flutter to the ground as he stepped over the threshold.

Jared,  
Did I do something? Say something? Did something happen while you were in Bristol? I’m sorry for whatever I did or said. Please talk to me. I’m going out with Stephen for the day... I don’t know when I’ll be home... come see me tomorrow? Or I can come here? Please Jared, you are my only friend here. Don’t shut me out.  
Do you know that there is a bird called a Jay? I saw one while you were gone and I looked it up online. It is called the Eurasian Jay. Its plumage is multi-coloured as if someone had painted them there. Can I call you Jay-bird when you call me Kochanie?  
Please.... Jensen.

Jared kissed the note. He’d been re-named in return. He threw himself back into the cottage, slamming the door behind him. His innocent mate had responded. Camera forgotten, he licked his lips and carded his hair with his fingers. Fuck Alpha Richings. If he was leaving anyway he couldn’t go without telling Jensen what he felt. He would just have to be extremely careful about when and where he approached the omega. Every pack wolf would go running to the baron, and every employee to Alpha Sebastian. He didn't want to cause trouble for Jensen, but for himself? He had nothing to lose now.  
____________________________________________________________ 

 

Stephen had taken Jensen on a six mile hike along Hadrian’s Wall. The omega was tired but in a good post-exercise way as he leaned against the alpha on their train journey home. Stephen wrapped an arm around him and asked if he was cold or thirsty. He wasn’t. He just wanted to rest a while. It felt good being under Stephen’s protection. It had been a good date, a great one really. They had been tourists and history buffs for the day. Stephen hadn’t treated him any less because he was omega, presuming correctly that Jensen could keep up with the hiking group. They had a traditional afternoon tea in a village cafe after their walk along the Roman wall. The alpha had told Jensen some of the weirder stories of highwaymen he had discovered in his research and they had laughed long and hard. 

Jensen invited Stephen in when he walked him to his door. He was the first suitor he had let into his home. He made the wolf coffee, imagining cooking for him as his mate. They went into the sitting room and Stephen saw the guitar case. His eyes lit up and he asked Jensen if he played. When Jensen confirmed it, the alpha pestered him for a song, but Jensen was too shy to expose his plucking for judgement. When Stephen left, Jensen walked him to the door. The other wolf bent down and scented his neck like a mate would.

“I would be honoured if you picked me, Jensen. I would do my best every day to make you happy and to provide a happy home for our pups.”

Jensen almost agreed there and then, but something held his tongue.

\-------------------------------------------------

Jensen spent dinner the following evening picking at his food. He still hadn’t seen Jared. It was like the werecat had vanished from the packlands, but Jensen knew he hadn’t. Three times that day Jensen had sneaked through the trees to the edge of Jared’s garden. The first time Jared’s bike was propped against the window ledge. The second time there were clothes on his washing line and the third time the clothes were gone, but there was no sign of the cat himself.

He didn’t feel like socializing with the pack and tried to make an early exit but Alpha Andrew took him over to Julian’s study.

“Jensen, dear, please take a seat.” The pack alpha nodded.

Jensen bowed and took the offered chair.

“How have you been? You seemed quiet at table.”

“I have had a lot to think about.” Jensen knew it sounded pained but he couldn’t help it.

“ Of course. It has been a life changing decision and now you will give me your choice.” Alpha Richings sat back in his chair and waited.

Jensen’s vision swam with a picture of Jared kneeling in front of him wrapping his ankle.

“I cannot choose.”

“But you must.”

Jensen swallowed. He wished Jared would see him, was not avoiding him.

He felt nothing as he spoke “Stephen.”


	8. J2: Decisions (Part Two)

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Jensen stood wrapped in Stephen’s arms as the pack came to congratulate them. He was dressed in his best pressed white cotton short-sleeved shirt and his best jeans. He was also unbelievably sad. A single tear rolled down his cheek. Stephen saw it and wiped it away with the back of his hand.

“Hey darling? What is it? I promise you made the right choice. I want you baby. I’ll take care of you.” Stephen pulled his expectant one closer.

“My emotions are all over the place, alpha. I never thought I’d have a mate.” Jensen bit his lip, trying to deny his feeling of loss.

“Well well, Jenny got the wolf he wanted.” Dick’s mouth curved in a cruel mocking smile.

“I will thank you to call my intended by his proper name. You have no claim on him and we are not squabbling kittens, Dick.” 

“What did you mean kittens? He was only trying to get under my skin.” Jensen whispered when the other alpha moved away.

“Dick is a maestro at the double meanings. I wanted to beat my fist in his mouth when he started the ‘Jenny’ crap.” Stephen kept his voice low, “Have you never heard? Cats exchange new affectionate names for each other when they declare their mates.”

Jensen heard Jared’s voice in his ear calling him Kochanie, and saw his own hand moving across the sheet of notepaper telling the feline alpha he wanted to call him Jay Bird. Is this what Jared teased him with when he told him he would have to find out the meaning of Kochanie on his own? Not that it meant Honey, but that it meant he had proposed? 

“... and I am sure your pups will be handsome devils.” Mitch was saying when Jensen managed to claw his mind back to reality.

There were a few more handshakes and cheek kisses to endure. Finally Stephen took Jensen out onto the veranda at the rear of the building. He could see the distant beach. “Our first date,” Stephen smiled and brought Jensen’s hand to his lips, “playing with you in the dunes, chasing the waves. I knew I wanted you to choose me then.”

“I remember. It was a magical date. You rocketed to the top of the charts.” Jensen smiled and let his promised alpha lead him to a bench by the flower beds.

“I’m glad I stayed there. Are you cold Jensen? Do you want to go in?”

“A little.” He was shivering, but not cold. “Can we go to your room? I can email Christian and Sally and tell them. I should email Anders and ask him to tell Beth.”

“Grandfather already informed them. I’ll get you access to one of the office computers tomorrow. It isn’t seemly for you to be in my rooms until we mate.”

“Oh.” 

“Don’t worry. It won’t be long, baby and you’ll be mine forever.”

“Forever.” Jensen repeated as the years spread out in front of him, long and infinite, without Jared.

___________________________________________

 

Jensen was shocked to see that his claws had ripped the sheets when he woke in wolf form in the morning. He had shifted to allow the pup-like comfort of curling into a ball. Mr Guffy had been pulled off his cushion at some stage during the night and was under Jensen’s belly fur.

He’d had more nightmares. This time he was rounded with Stephen’s pups and Jared was strung up in a market square on a St Andrew’s cross. It was the Regency and everyone was dressed in powdered wigs and flowing clothes. He turned and Stephen was a highwayman, his alpha wolf eyes glowing under his mask. He held onto Jensen and wouldn’t let him go to Jared. Then an executioner came but he didn’t carry an axe. He had a knife and he sliced away Jared’s testes as Jensen’s screams mingled with the cat’s cries.

Jensen couldn’t shake the nightmare. He paced around his house. He banged cupboards and tried to start the list Alpha Julian had asked of him. Stephen and he were getting a new house as their mating gift. Alpha Julian wanted some specifications and ideas from Jensen. 

His guitar case beckoned to him. He unzipped it and ran a hand over his loved instrument. The envelope with the line drawing fell to the floor. Jared’s drawing of him, from that early time, was it only weeks ago? It was before they had even spoken.

With a cold glass of lemonade and his guitar Jensen sat on a low rock in his private back garden and played some cords. It was soothing. He could forget the mess he was in. 

“All my life I’ve been searching for something. Something never comes never leads to nothing...”

“You have a beautiful voice Kochanie.”

Jensen stopped his Dave Grohl impression and looked up to see Jared vaulting over the wall.

“Jay? Where have you been? Why wouldn’t you let me in?” Jensen lifted the guitar strap over his head and put the instrument down next to him.

“I shouldn’t be here. It is forbidden. Julian will kill me if he finds out.” Jared looked around at the back windows of the neighbouring house. He didn’t look good. Jensen could see the strain in his body and his expression. “But I had to come. I have to tell you before I go.”

“Where? What? What do you mean forbidden?”

“I was warned off you. Richings knew I was courting you even if I didn’t express it. He told me I had to leave or else leave you alone.”

“But you are here now Jay Bird.”

“I am Kochanie.” Jared sank to his knees in front of Jensen. “You declared for Stephen.”

“I did.” Jensen bit his lip. There was no point in denying it.

“Do you love him?” Jared’s head hung, his hair falling over his forehead as if he couldn’t meet Jensen’s eyes for the answer.

“I think I could learn to love him.”

“He has accepted your promise?”

“He has but I didn’t tell him.”

“What?”

“It was hard for me to tell him, when I didn’t know, that you were already my intended, Jay.”

Jared gasped and looked up with hope in his eyes.

“Kochanie?”

“You cheeky cat. Claiming me at first sight. I ought to be angry with you, but I’m not.” Jensen leaned forward to meet Jared. Their lips touched, just grazing across their mouths. 

“I fell for you that night at the statue. I lost my heart to you then. Are you sure you are not angry about my hidden claim? I held it close to me over these last few weeks but I’m not a wolf and...”

Jensen stopped him with another kiss, “I’m so not angry, but I don’t know what we are going to do.”

“Run away with me.”

“What?” Jensen’s mouth dropped.

“Run with me. We can’t be together here. I can’t stay.”

“We would be pack-less. I would be a lone wolf. Omegas can’t be lone wolves.”

Jared put his hand over Jensen’s and rubbed it gently, “You wouldn’t. You’ll be my mate. My omega. We can start a pride pack of two.”

Jensen laughed at the life sparking back into Jared’s eyes.

“When and where?”

“I have a cousin Adrianne Palicki in Aberdeen. She’ll take me in and you too, until we find somewhere. Do you want to go back to Texas?”

“God no, they’ll want my head if I don’t mate a Richings.”

“Good because they’ll want my balls and hybrid mating is just not done in my mother’s family pride. Don’t worry Jen. We’ll figure it out. Can you start to pack discreetly? I’m going to rent a car for Saturday. After dark we can load our stuff and head away.”

“I have to tell Stephen.” Jensen huffed and gave a small head shake.

“No.”

“I do. It’s not fair on him.”

“He’ll tell his grandfather.”

“He.... if we had never met... I’d have mated him. I’d have given him pups and lived with him.”

“I hear you, but Jensen he will stop us.” Jared emphasised with a sigh through gritted teeth.

“I won’t say anything until we are leaving.”

“You could phone him from Aberdeen?”

“I’ll think on it.” Jensen conceded, “I won’t say anything for now. How are we going to meet?”

“I am ‘going to town’ tomorrow to collect art materials. They all know it. But I won’t go. Come to my cottage after lunch. We can hide inside and work everything out. OK?”

“OK Jay, you had better go before one of the neighbours sees you.”

Jared nodded and sat up on his knees. He pulled Jensen’s head towards him and scented up all along his neck burying his nose in the omega’s skin. Jensen’s eyes closed as Jared’s tongue licked along his jaw and then moved to kiss him long and deep. Jensen could taste Jared, feel him on his tongue, and it felt good and right, meant to be.

_______________________________________________

 

Sitting at Jared’s kitchen table with mugs of tea (Jared) and coffee (Jensen), the two intended mates exchanged their life stories. Jared got flaring mad at the way Jensen had been treated as an omega in the Ackles pack, and the cold treatment by his Aunt Beth. He actually spat on the floor, hissing in a feline way when he heard about the wolves’ claiming days and the way Jensen had failed to be comforted by the pack when he was not chosen. 

“Still Jen if you had been, then we wouldn’t be here now.”

“No we wouldn’t” Jensen agreed and let Jared kiss him again.

Then it was Jared’s turn for childhood tales. Jensen was shocked when faced with the realities of the cat prides’ eugenics policies. They shared impressions of Dallas. Jensen told Jared all about Christian and the band.

Jared refilled their cups and sat down heavily. Then he told Jensen about Misha. He started the story in monotone, distancing his emotions, but he still broke down when he got to the phone call with Kurt and the letter from Misha.

“Show it to me.” Jensen demanded.

Jared blinked confused.

“The letter. Do you have it?”

Jared nodded numbly wondering what Jensen wanted to see it for. He opened the cutlery drawer and lifted out the tray. The crumbled sheet was there. It weighed down his hand as he passed it over. Jared watched Jensen’s mouth moving and his cheeks flushing as he read it.

“September 3rd. That is Monday.”

Jared nodded.

“I’m not running away with you.”

Jared felt the blow in his solar plexus. He couldn’t breathe. Jensen stood up and came around to the side of Jared’s kitchen chair. “We are not running away. We are going to rescue your friend.”

“Kochanie, that is a fantastic idea but it is impossible. Misha is secluded in the middle of a pride of werecats, all of whom think I am a deserter. They would claw me to pieces before we got out of the village.”

Jensen rolled his eyes at Jared, “Jay Bird, where is the clinic?”

“Perth.”

“We know where and what day Misha will be there? We can be there too.”

“He won’t be alone Jen.” Jared’s voice rose a little with a new hope, “Kurt and/or Julie will go with him. At least two or three other pride members. Maybe even Alpha and if they catch me they could take me back.”

“If only he wasn’t mated yet.” Jensen mused ruefully.

“He isn’t but what difference does that make?”

“I thought you said that Misha had been locked away for two years?”

“Yeah. Promised. Kurt gave him a putrid insulting new name, but they won’t officially complete the final claim until he is irrevocably gelded.” Jared’s eyes filled again just from speaking about it.

“He can’t be forced to mate with them.”

“The Alpha’s word is law, Jensen, you know that.”

“Pack law, pride law, but not The Law.” Jensen looked at Jared’s confused expression. “It is the same for me. They can refuse to let me leave the pack, but they can’t force me to mate any wolf. It is EU law. For years Jared. Years ago the law came into force. If Misha says no they cannot force him.”

“But... what?” Jared tugged at his hair with his hand, “So if I had insisted, had grabbed him, that summer when he told me Kurt had claimed him and re-named him, if I had persuaded him to leave with me, then there couldn’t have been any comeback, any reporting of me kidnapping another alpha’s mate?”

“No Jay.”

“Kurwa, kurwa, kurwa.” Jared stood up so fast his chair fell to the floor. He dived for the sink and vomited up his lunch. Jensen ran to him and rubbed his back while Jared heaved and coughed. “Two years, Jen, two years, and I thought I couldn’t help him, that if I got him to flee with me, we would be chased down like criminals. I was so alone with no pride, and Misha has been in that house counting down the days until they castrate him.”

“Shush, darling. It will be ok. We are going to get him out.”

“We are.” Jared straightened up, determined and repeated with force, “We are.”

“We will have to be there early, before they....” Jensen stared at Jared’s crotch.

“Yeah,” Jared huffed, “I know we can’t stop the gelding under the law. I researched that myself when I was in Uni, trying to find out if I could go home and refuse to let them turn me into their eunuch bitch. The Prides have an exemption to human rights acts, because our species are so rare. The Feline Eugenics Act lets Pride Alphas control the breeding of future generations. Under the law the cat must be mature enough to understand the permanency of the surgery, twenty one at least, and sign a form that they agree to the procedure, but it is worthless crap as a safeguard, when you can be forced into a corner or are not told what you are signing.”

“So if I can get onto the office computer again, I’ll find out about the were-clinic in Perth. What time it opens and directions...”

“I know where it is. It is our closest medical centre.”

“OK. I’m going to email Christian and tell him what we are doing and the were-contact at the US embassy.”

“What can they do Jen, and Misha and I, we aren’t American?”

“But you are my expectant mate and that way others will know what we are planning, in case, and I don’t want to think it, but in case something goes wrong.... if I can’t get out of Richings... or we can’t get Misha.” Jensen moved a little closer to Jared and let the taller man pull him into an embrace, “If we need someone to come looking for either of us...”

“Goddess Palu, this is real, and fucking dangerous, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. You still wanna?”

“Every bit of it. I think I’d better make a phone call.” Jared pulled his phone out from his pocket. “You want to move to the sitting room. The seating is more comfortable.”

Jensen nodded, thinking Jared wanted privacy but the alpha followed him and they both sat on the sofa. Jensen looked at Jared’s wonderful paintings which were propped up drying around the room.

“Adrianne?”

“Yes? Hello?”

Jensen raised an eyebrow that the phone was on speaker, pleased at Jared’s openness.

“Adrianne. I need your help.”

“Jared?”

“Yeah.”

“Jesus Cousin. I thought you’d gone underground. Uncle Tomasz wouldn’t tell me where you are.”

“You got a car Addy?”

“Yep. Picked up a ‘right banger’ according to the lad who sold it to me.... I’m only back from Mamusia’s... They are all asking about you in Krakow... what is going on? Are you on the run? Did they select you for...” The young beta’s voice caught. “...for gelding...Jay?”

Jared puffed a breath down the phone, he didn’t know where to start. Jensen leaned his head on his shoulder and scooted a little closer across the couch. “You could say I was preselected. I can’t go back. I’m pride-less. An outcast. I don’t expect you to lower yourself to be seen with me...”

“Kurwa. Fuckin’ shite.”

“You’re picking up a Scottish accent.”

“You listen to me Jaroslaw, you are family, you got it.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Don’t you ma’am me either. What else do you need to tell me?” Adrianne demanded. Jared could almost see her doing her determined fist in her hair thing.

“I have someone calling me Jay-bird. I’m calling him Kochanie.”

“Oh my god. That is wonderful. You’re promised?”

“He’s wolf.”

There was a subtle but definite intake of breath.

“Addy? You still there?” Jared closed his eyes and prayed the first family member he had told would not shun him.

“ Congratulations Jared. You never take the easy route, do you?”

“About that. We need a refuge for a couple of nights, a car ride to Perth at dawn on September third, and your silence at what we are doing?”

“What are you doing Jared?” Adrianne’s breathless fear was audible.

“I’m stealing an omega from Richings Petroleum, rescuing Misha from his gelding procedure, and we need a place to hole up while we decide where we are going.”

“Oh. OK then. Mamusia would roast me if I let her favorite nephew get into trouble.”

“Thanks Addy.”

“See you when?”

“Saturday night? We’ll be late getting to you.”

“I’ll meet you in the Tesco car park by the University. You’ll never find my flat without a guide.”

“Sounds like a good place to hide.”

“I might be able to help you further there.”

“What?”

“There is a small hybrid rights group here. They came and gave a talk at the Were Soc in Uni before summer break. You are going to be one half of a hybrid mating. They have a safe house somewhere for soul-mates who have had to run from their prides and packs. I’ll get in touch with them, see if they can help.”

“Thanks Addy, you’re the freaking best.”

“Shuddup Jaroslaw and just get here safely with your Kochanie.”


	9. J2: Leaving Richings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this is sad and short (sorry) but it made me so fricking sad writing it and I couldn’t write more...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Julian Richings came out onto the veranda to his assembled family and announced that they would take dinner in the conservatory which was an addition to the north wing of his mansion. There were only twenty for dinner. Joseph, Dick and some of the beta grandchildren had gone out for the night in Newcastle. JD and Janice had taken her children to the movies. Another two families were on final weekends away before the school term began. Julian sat at the top of one table with Andrew and Mitch and the rest of the Morgans. The Pack Alpha sat Stephen and Jensen at the head of the other table, with Callum, Sebastian, Emily’s remaining family members and Jane Richings. It was less formal than their normal nightly arrangement and the wolves relaxed and chatted freely. 

Jensen hoped that his lack of contribution went unnoticed. He tried to eat, chopping his food small and chewing carefully. He had promised Jared that he would act as normally as possible. His mind kept bringing up images of his packed suitcases and guitar case where he had left them sitting inside the back door of his cottage. Jared has gone to collect the car. While all the pack was at dinner, the werecat was sneaking their belongings through the trees. 

Stephen’s hand pressed down on his, and Jensen realised he had stopped eating. He looked up at the alpha. Stephen was looking back at him with kind concern, “Are you unwell, Jen?”

“It is very warm in here with all the glass,” Jensen licked his lips, “Would you come for a walk on the beach with me after our meal?”

“I’d like that. The evening breeze might blow away our cobwebs,” Stephen refilled Jensen’s glass with iced water, “Here pet, to cool you down.”

Jensen sipped on the water and ate the strawberries out of his fruit salad, while Stephen’s alpha appetite let him demolish a sticky toffee pudding and the end of Jensen’s dessert. Their walk was delayed for coffee in the drawing room. Callum tried to talk to Jensen while Stephen was called over by his Uncle Andrew and Alpha Julian. Jensen apologized to the other omega and went to the bathroom to splash his face and pray for the courage to speak with Stephen. Jared still wanted him to wait until they were in Aberdeen, but he had not made it an alpha command, and Jensen felt he would be doing Stephen an injustice by disappearing into the night.

When he emerged into the entrance hall, Stephen was leaning against the banisters. “Ready for our walk?”

Jensen nodded and took the other wolf’s arm. They exited via the veranda and walked through the gardens. Jensen didn’t speak until the soft sand was under their feet. The tide was low exposing seldom seen seaweed covered rocks and long stretches of wet sand. The light was getting low adding an orange tinged glow to the water. Jensen looked at his watch. 7.49pm.

“Eight O’clock.” Stephen said. 

“What?” Jensen was instantly wary. Jared would be expecting him at any time after 8.30pm but Jensen was not to raise suspicion by leaving the pack too early.

“Sunset.” Stephen said. “It is 8pm on September 1st. I googled it.”

“That is really geeky.” Jensen teased half-heartedly.

“I was in fact researching hours of darkness for my book. I was interested in how the length of the day might have affected criminal activity.”

“Did it?”

Stephen laughed, “Not really, but during the shorter winter days more footpads abounded and fear of crime was greater.”

“Stephen.” Jensen plucked up his courage, “I wanted to come here to talk with you.”

“This sounds serious. Do you want to sit?” He pointed to a beachgrass covered dune. Stephen laid his beige canvas jacket on the ground for Jensen to sit on. 

“I think in an alternative reality we are mating and having pups together.” Jensen said and paused unsure of how to proceed. His rehearsed speech drying up in his throat as he looked at Stephen’s genuine eyes and the fiery sunset in the west behind him.

“But not in this reality Jensen?” Stephen’s eyebrows made to meet in the middle, “What do you mean?”

“I... I’m leaving Richings.... with Jared.” 

There was absolute silence. The lapping of the shallow neap tide waves didn’t penetrate the bubble that surrounded the wolves.

“Say something, please alpha.” Jensen repeatedly wet his lips and his guts twisted at the pain he had just caused.

“You can’t go Jensen.”

The omega closed his eyes. He had hoped, perhaps naively that Stephen would not try and keep him prisoner at Richings. Opening his lids he met Stephen’s glassy eyes and spoke sincerely, “I am so sorry to leave you but I love him.”

“No. Jensen.” Stephen moved closer, sitting on the arm of his jacket. “What will you do? Where will you live? You will both be outcasts. Please think about this. Stay.”

“I can’t.”

“You don’t have to mate with me.” Tears started to roll down the alpha’s cheeks, “If you feel you made the wrong choice in me, you can still choose Sebastian or Jeffery. I... don’t go.”

“I’m leaving tonight, Stephen. I’m sorry. I’m sorry that you love me. I don’t deserve your love and you don’t deserve to have that love thrown back to you.”

Stephen surprised him by pulling him into a crushing upper body hug. “Stop that, pet. You deserve to be loved. Are you certain that the cat returns your love?”

Jensen nodded into the larger wolf’s pectoral muscle.

“I won’t tell anyone. Do you need anything? Money? Where are you going?”

“I can’t tell you.”

Stephen drew back and pushed Jensen out from his chest with the palms of his hands, “I won’t rat you out.”

Jensen sucked a breath, “What if your Grandfather commands you to tell him?”

Stephen was silent.

“Look on your browser history for my friend Christian Kane’s facebook page. He’ll know where I am.”

“OK.” Stephen moved to a crouch and pulled his wallet from his back jeans pocket. He extracted a debit card and put it into Jensen’s hand, closing the omega’s fingers around it. “The PIN is 4663. Use it at the train station and in the next big city you reach. I will report it lost on Tuesday. OK?”

“Thank you.” Jensen swallowed hard at this unexpected kindness. 

“Shush don’t cry,” Stephen pulled Jensen back in for a hug, but the teenager wasn’t crying. It was the alpha, whose shoulders shook as his chest heaved, holding his almost mate. After a few moments to regain composure he whispered into Jensen’s ear, “When are you leaving?”

“Now.”

“Tell him. Tell Padalecki to take care of you. Tell him if he doesn’t treat you right I’ll find him and show him how a wolf can rip a cat to pieces. Go now Jensen before I lose control of my emotions. You, my love, are one of the good ones.”

“You too,” Jensen gave the alpha a final squeeze before he stood.

“Take my jacket. You’ll be cold now it is dusk.” Stephen stood. He shook the sand out of the coat and placed it reverently over Jensen’s shoulders. He kissed Jensen’s hair and stroked his cheekbone with his thumb.

“I won’t forget you Stephen.”

“I won’t forget you Jensen.” Stephen turned for the main house and his long walk back alone on the darkening sands.

The omega took off through the fields to make the copse of trees by the glasshouse, break across the lawn beyond the haw haw and reach the estate road on the far side of the river from Jared’s cottage. 

Jensen could see Jared filling the driver’s space in the rented hatchback. He frantically dived for the passenger door, but Jared beat him to it leaning across to open it. 

“Drive.” Jensen choked. The tears had come now. It was all too much. He had just broken a heart, him who had spent years thinking his own heart would wither and desiccate like his barren guardian’s. Stephen had loved him enough to let him go. It was too much.

“Kochanie?” Jared was paused with his hand on the ignition. He seemed torn between leaving as rapidly as possible and pulling his intended in close.

“Drive, Jay, just drive.”

Jared spun the wheels as he accelerated. He bounced over the speed bumps and skidded around the turn at the main gate, heading north.

“He loved me, Jay. He did. I thought he did, but he really did.” Jensen wrapped his arms around Stephen’s jacket. 

“Did he make it difficult for you? Is your urgency due to his efforts to stop us?” Jared growled.

“No. He gave me his jacket should I be cold coming to you. He gave me a debit card to use at ATMs until Tuesday should we need money. He told me he’ll rip you to pieces if you don’t treat me right. He won’t tell anyone. I believe he will cover for us both for as long as he can.”

“He won’t have to for long.” 

“Jay?”

“I left my paintings in the chapel. They will find them in the morning when they attend service. We will be at Adrianne’s well before they are found.”

“When will we get there?”

“I texted her when I saw you coming. She will be in the supermarket car park at 1am. Why don’t you try to sleep?”

“Not yet, Jay. I want to see where we are going.”

“You know what the wolf said about me treating you right?”

Jensen pulled on his seatbelt so he could twist towards Jared. “Yeah?”

“I could have called you my Skarbeczku that first night. Kochanie suits you more. Skarbeczku is also darling but it’s my little treasure, my precious one.”

Jensen laughed, “You’re too giant to be Gollum.”

Jared grinned “Hey sweetie, I’m trying to make a serious point here.”

“Sorry alpha.” Jensen grinned back.

“Just.” Jared took one hand from the wheel to push his hair back, “I’ll treasure you, OK? You are precious, not my pressssiousss, but my cherished mate. I’ll never let anyone harm you and if they try they will have to come through me.”

“OK.” Jensen agreed.

“Good.” Jared nodded.

They fell into companionable silence. Jensen basked in his alpha’s presence and let it sooth away his guilt and sorrow for Stephen.

As they entered their second hour of travel, he began to work on his Richings arm cuff, picking away at the tightly laced bindings with his left hand fingernails. Jared offered to take it off for him, but Jensen was stubborn. It was something he had to do without assistance. By removing it himself, even without wolf witnesses, he was revoking his allegiance and daring to be the forbidden; a lone wolf omega.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those on Team Rescue Misha.... next chapter.... tbc


	10. J2: Perthshire Were Treatment Clinic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seat belt on? Here we go....

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Jensen cracked his back. The leather passenger seat in Special Representative Matthew Davis’ Jaguar XJ sedan was not uncomfortable but after two hours of just sitting, Jensen wanted to stretch his legs, and preferably his paws. His wolf was antsy with all the tension. He looked out the window to Adrianne’s beat up VW in the next parking space. Jared mouthed ‘I love you’ through the window. Jensen dropped his eyes but used his finger tip to trace a heart on the glass.

It was passed 8am. Alpha Davis had gone to get drinks at the Costa Coffee which had just opened for business. They had arrived so early that Matthew and Jared had to raise the parking barrier with their bare alpha strength. They had claimed the two spaces at the rear of the building partially concealed by the dumpsters and the overhanging willow branches.

Jensen sank down the leather. He hadn’t slept much in the last few days and nights. He got barely a wink on Friday night as he packed and fretted. Saturday night had been their Thelma and Louise flit. Jared had pulled over south of Edinburgh before midnight to allow Jensen extract the daily limit from Stephen’s account at an ATM machine. By half past one they were in Aberdeen. A perky blonde beta with Jared’s nose dashed across the car park and Jared had picked her up swinging her around like a little girl. There was a stream of Polish and English, before Jared had introduced him as Kochanie. Surprisingly it was Adrianne who was more shy and nervous than Jensen. She kept apologising for Jared’s home-pride and trying to reassure him that the Padalecki side of their family would welcome the wolf omega into their hearts. Jensen had a few hours of fitful slumber on Adrianne’s sofa. Jared had tucked a thick crocheted blanket around him and kissed his forehead. On Sunday morning Jensen woke with a warm purring weight on his chest. He curled his fingers into Jared’s fur and let his alpha lick his nose and cheeks with his raspy tongue. Too soon Jared was up, shifted, showered and gone to take the car to the Aberdeen drop off point. He came back with takeout salad wraps and traditional Scottish flapjacks for lunch. They were chewing the oaten treats when there was the bang of an authoritative knock on Adrianne’s door. Jensen wondered if Julian Richings could have tracked them. Nightmarish thoughts of Stephen telling them about the debit card, and the car rental flagging up, made Jensen cling to Jared while his cousin opened the door. 

Two feline alphas in dark suits entered the room.

“Mr Padalecki, Mr Ackles. I’m Special Representative Matthew Davis, this is my Aberdeen colleague Steven McQueen.”

“I know Stevie,” Adrianne explained, “He is my contact with the Hybrid Rights Group.”

“We are here to help.” McQueen said with his hands open towards Jared who had bared his teeth at the two new alphas.

“How?” Jensen asked. 

“My boss, Alpha Worthy, received your e-mail.” The fair haired older alpha explained. “He had already had his inbox overflowing with messages from humans called Christian Kane and Steve Carlson, and a formal letter about your situation from Alexis Denisof. You have our support, but I am not here on your account, Omega Ackles.”

“Then why are you here?” Jared demanded.

“Dmitri Collins and you Alpha Padalecki. The Piseagard Pride is one of the most closed to the outside world.”

Jensen’s forehead scrunched in puzzlement. Jared hadn’t told him that.

McQueen saw the expression, “You are American. Think a weird mix of Amish, Waco and the Seattle Area Wolf Pack.”

Jensen gasped. The wolf pack in Seattle shunned human form, “Jay? How did you live there?”

Jared shook his head as if clearing his mind, “It was all we knew. Misha and I grew up there and my parents would take us away for months every year, and then I had Uni and... I left.”

“Piseagard hits every radar where feline rights are concerned. Gelding happens everywhere but it is cultural and accepted, and most cats with inferior genetics are raised knowing they either leave and find a new more accepting pride, or stay as a non-breeding member. However Piseagard is the pinnacle or should I say the nadir of werecat eugenics. It makes Steve and I ashamed to be feline. Forced matings, forced gelding, forced breeding, the reports are shocking, but when Rick, Alpha Worthy, delved into Beta Collins’ story his core was rocked. So he sent me to assist. I’m the feline special representative to Europol. My police title is detective inspector, but we will stick with Matthew, if that is fine?”

It was late evening before the alphas left. Plans had been made, scrapped, redrawn and made again. McQueen was gone to Edinburgh to set up their new lives. Davis headed to Perth with them. They were getting Jared’s best friend and they were fleeing to a hybrid pride-pack in a secret location.

Alpha Davis sat back into the driver’s seat and passed Jensen his vanilla skinny latte. Jensen thanked him and looked over to Adrianne’s car again. The cousins were also sipping their hot drinks. Jensen suspected Jared’s was tea. The separate car situation was crap, but it was part of the safeguards. If they were road blocked by Piseagard cats then at least one of their vehicles had a chance. 

Only half listening to the alpha cop’s account of his omega mate Sara and their kittens, Jensen saw a tall wide shouldered alpha with a dark crew cut who looked like security come out the rear door of the clinic. He was followed by a red haired more wiry alpha. Jared banged on the inside of his window to get Jensen’s attention and pointed at the two werecats who were having a smoke. The younger ginger cat looked uncomfortable as the alpha gestured and pointed at him. Then he ground his cigarette under his boot and yanked the younger cat back inside.

Jared was out of the car and opening Jensen’s door as soon as they disappeared. He crouched down. “That was Donald, Alpha’s brother, and Ossian. They must have checked Misha in last night. Why didn’t I think of that?”

Jensen put his hand on Jared’s shoulder, “None of us did.”

“You have to go in now.” Alpha Davis’ blue eyes gleamed with urgency and Jensen almost thought he was imagining the oval change to his pupil until he looked at Jared whose catlike eyes were looking more feline than was normal.

“We are too late,” Jared’s desperation broke as a yowling noise from his throat.

Jensen leaned forward rocking his head into Jared’s chest. Jared wrapped an arm around him. “Not too late, Jay bird, they are still here. You ready?”

Jared took a deep inhale through his nostrils and stood up. He zipped up his navy hoodie and offered Jensen his hand to get out of the car. They stayed linked as they rounded the building and entered the main reception.

A young human receptionist, with her face plastered in pan stick a shade too dark for her neck, greeted them.

“Sam Miller. We have an appointment with the andro-gynaecologist.”

“Oh, you are the cross-breed-mates.”

“Yes we are.” Jared glared at her.

“Not judging. Human here. We just don’t see many hybrid mates. You are early. Your appointment is not until 9.30am.”

“Trains, you know.” Jared made a deprecating gesture, “Jason wanted to be on time.”

“Alpha Miller, Omega Brady, why don’t you take a seat in the waiting room while you fill out our new patient questionnaire.” She handed Jensen a clipboard with several sheets attached. “I’ll let Dr. Preston know you are here. He is currently with patients.”

Jared stiffened but Jensen whispered that she couldn’t have meant Misha, because Dr Preston was an omega gynie, not a surgeon.

They waited a few minutes while Jensen compared the health questionnaire to the one he had filled out with Sebastian at Dr Kingston’s surgery. When it was clear that the receptionist wasn’t coming to get the forms or check on them, Jensen followed Jared towards the rear of the building. “The theatres are back here” He whispered, “Mum had a mole removed in the last room around the corner.”

Jared stuck his head around the yellow painted wall but ducked back. “Julie, Donald, Ossian and Sandy.” He sighed. “It could be worse, there could be more. I’m surprised at Sandy. I thought she was a friend.”

“Maybe she is here to be a friend to Misha?”

“Maybe. I hope so.”

“They didn’t spot you looking?”

Jared parted his lips to reply but was pushed sideways back against the wall by a short dark haired girl barrelling into his ribs, “Jaroslaw,” she hissed, “What in the name of God are you doing here?”

“Sandy, what are you doing here?” Jared bounced the question back, voice dripping with accusation.

“Doll needs to see a friendly face when he wakes up.” Sandy gulped, “Ozzy and I volunteered.”

“Ossian Ozzy?” Jared pushed her out from his body and held her by the shoulders.

Her head dropped and her body sagged under his hands. Jensen could see the natural omega reaction to the alpha hold. “We promised at the vernal equinox, mated at Summer Solstice. Why are you here? Donald and Julie could see you.”

“I’m taking Misha with me.... Have they yet? Are they...?”

“No, not yet. They’ve prepped him for surgery. Oh Goddammit Jared, he is.... He isn’t the same cat you knew. He is in bits. He had been so strong. He was shut down all the way here last night, but he freaked out when they painted the iodine. Donald made the doctor cuff him to the bed, even though Doll promised not to run.”

There was a noise behind them. They all looked up but it was only a nurse going into one of the other rooms.

“What are you going to do Jaroslaw? He is promised to the Fullers. He has been living there for over two years. Kurt, Donald and Alpha are not going to let him go.”

“They cannot stop me if Misha wants to come. Can you distract Julie and Donald?”

“How?”

“I don’t know. Take them for coffee?”

“Ha! Not a hope.” Sandy pushed her shoulders back.”Do you have somewhere safe to take Doll, I mean Misha? You’re not hitting the road clueless are you?”

“We have a safe place.” Jensen spoke for the first time and the other omega gave him an assessing glance.

“Two more OK?”

“What Sandy?” Jared asked.

“If we help, we cannot go home.”

“I can’t ask that of you. Take Ossian for a coffee.”

“Mum and Dad.... I’ll miss them but the rest of the fucking kowtowing sheep. It is no place to live or raise my kittens. I’ll text Ozzy.” Sandy’s fingers flew over her keypad. “I’m telling him to be ready to achieve his heart’s desire and punch Donald’s lights out.”

Jared grinned. “I’d love the privilege.”

“You just get to Misha. I’ll take Julie. Ready?”

“Now?”

“Yes you enormous galute before we are spotted.” Sandy took off at speed doing her best impression of a Scottish rugby player and knocking the wind out of Julie, pinning the older omega on the floor and straddling her body. Ossian and Donald were going at it, allowing Jared and Jensen to weave around them and burst into the pre-op room.

Jared nearly collapsed when he saw his friend curled on his side with his wrist in a medical cuff attached to the raised bar of the bed. Jensen was shocked by the state of the werecat. He was too pale, as if he hadn’t seen sunlight in a long time. His head was virtually shaved, the haircut was so short. Sunken cheeks with a blooming bruise were under glazed blue eyes, too big for the thin face. 

Jensen moved before Jared, pouncing on the cuff and working on the buckle. 

“Mish, Mish, Dmitri.” Jared was over the werecat’s face. 

Misha blinked and tried to focus, “Jay?”

The ignored doctor spoke up, “You can’t barge in here.”

“What did you give him?” Jared stood to his full height and looked down on the beta wolf doctor.

“Pre-anaesthesia sedative. Who are you? This man is about to undergo surgery.”

Jared turned back to the bed, “Do you want this Misha?”

He repeated the question more gently. There was a pained “No” and Misha lifted his free hand to claw at Jared’s hoodie.

“Did you hear that Doctor? He doesn’t consent.”

“I have his signature.” The medic waved a sheet of paper at Jared, who grabbed it off him. 

“That is not Misha’s handwriting” Jared ripped it into tiny pieces. The doctor’s jaw dropped watching the confetti like shreds fall to the floor.

“As the only Alpha in this room, I am telling you to get that IV out of his arm.”

The doctor scrambled to obey the order. Jensen basked in the glow of Jared’s dominance. He was wowed by the display, seeing a new side of his promised mate. 

When the line was out, Jared bent his knees and got his arms under Misha’s knees and shoulders. He scooped up his friend and charged out the door. Jensen saw Sandy and her mate racing after them, as they blew through the fire doors and raced to the cars. 

Jared ignored their plan of action, nodding Sandy and Ossian to Adrianne’s car. He placed Misha in the back of Matthew’s sedan and slid in next to him, cradling Misha’s head on his lap. Jensen had pulled open the passenger door when the huge brutish alpha burst out the emergency exit. Jensen could hear Donald shouting, “You won’t get away with this Padalecki,” as Matthew put the car in gear and followed Adrianne out of the clinic grounds. 

Jensen could hear Jared keeping up a stream of words behind him, telling Misha that he would be alright, and that he didn’t have to go back. 

“Jay, is it really you? I’m not dreaming.” Misha croaked.

“What you really dream of my verbal diarrhoea?” Jared joked.

The smile died on his lips as Misha replied, “Permission alpha to shift?”

“You don’t need my permission Misha, you shift if and when you want to.” 

Jensen heard the break in Jared’s voice. He twisted in his seat to offer solace. Jared kept a hand on Misha as he turned. Then Misha-cat was curling into Jared’s side. His markings were unlike Jared’s strong brown-black stripes on a grey background. Misha had a poached egg style marking on his grey side and his head and tail were black.

“You sleep Dmitri. Sleep off that medication. You will be safe and I’ll get you better, I promise.” Jared whispered as he stroked Misha’s head. 

“I’d like photos.” Alpha Davis said meeting Jared’s eyes in the rear view mirror.

“I don’t think so.”

“We need evidence of what Blackthorne is doing.”

“Only if Misha agrees,” Jared conceded “and not today. Can I make an international call on your phone?”

“Sure. Europol is paying.” Matthew handed back his I-phone.

Jensen listened in while Jared called his parents. He apologised and told them, they probably were not going to be welcomed home at Piseagard. He broke into Polish, then into tears, and finally blew kisses into the handset.

“OK Jay bird?” Jensen’s heart was in his throat.

“Good.” Jared’s eyes were shining. His hand fisted into the loose skin at the back of Misha’s neck. “They told me they are proud of me, and that Grandpa Przemek would have been proud of me, and they are going to take the rest of the family out for a meal at Szara in Krakow in my honour.”

Tears poured down Jared’s cheeks, and Jensen said, “I agree with every word.”


	11. J2: Reaching Haven

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jared’s foot tapped on the tiled floor. Jensen was sitting backwards over his chair just to Jared’s right, occasionally reaching out to touch his arm, as if he knew that the alpha needed that connection to ground him. Sandy and Ossian were just to their left sharing a can of 7UP. They were waiting for Misha. Jared’s concern was growing the longer the police were taking with him. His leg muscles bunched, ready to make a wolf-like sprint to find his friend or a higher ranking officer to discover why there was such a delay.

Jared looked up at the closed door of the bare room where they had been asked to remain. The window in the door was covered by a poster about emergency response numbers. The text blurred he stared at it so intensely.

Each one of the Rescue Misha Team had given their statements to the Specialist Crime Division inspectors. Adrianne had gone first and been given permission to begin her long drive home to Aberdeen. She had been quite weepy when saying farewell, but Jared hadn’t cried. He had spilled enough tears over the last couple of days and was determined to be strong for the others. 

Jensen had not been long either. They took his short witness statement about the events of the morning. The cats had all registered as pride-less until they would arrive at Haven Pride Pack, but Jensen was omega and a minor. They weren’t sure what to do with him. They would be at their new pride-pack within 24 hours but red-tape meant Jensen’s situation was somewhat of a conundrum for officialdom. In the end they agreed to leaving the omega’s status as refugee from the Richings pack, but Alpha Davis would travel to Haven with them, in case anything happened or Richings would somehow attempt to snatch Jensen back.

Sandy and Ossian had been a while giving their joint statements. Alpha Davis and his human counterparts had been very interested in the details of life in the pride. They would have been longer with Jared too but he was precise and terse in his statement, ensuring he could get back to Misha. The human police doctor had examined Misha, then a werefox general practitioner and finally while Jared was being interviewed, the division psychiatrist. 

Everyone was treating Jared as if he was pride alpha to the four other weres. It didn’t help that Alpha Ossian seemed to be in a state of shock, and the others were two omegas and a traumatised beta. Jared admitted to himself that it made things easier as they deferred to him and kept him informed. Some of the tough human police seemed on the fear side of wary of him, which caused him to give them sardonic smiles stemming from his amused wonder.

Alpha Davis popped his head in, “Jared, we could do with your help.”

Jared squeezed Jensen’s shoulder and followed the blond alpha down to a new interview room. Misha was hunched up over the table. His head was on his arms and his body was trembling.

“What the fuck did you do to him?” Jared accused. 

“Nothing” a human woman in her forties with tightly pulled back grey-black hair held up her palms from her position leaning against the far breeze block wall. 

The Alpha cop pulled back his chair, the metal legs scraping the tiles and sat down, “Beta Collins has not responded to our questions. We need his statement, Jared. I’ve consulted the Assistant Chief Constable, and if we can record him telling you what happened to him, he will approve that as evidence.”

Jared had moved to his friend and pulled him up, wrapping his body around the smaller werecat and taking the other seat at Misha’s side of the metal table. 

“Hey Mish,” He rubbed the back of Misha’s wrist, “I know you don’t want to be here, but you can talk to me? Right Mish?”

Misha made a small silent nod.

Jared nodded at Matthew to begin.

“OK so first we want to know if the doctors’ assessment is correct. When was the last time Dmitri was outdoors?”

“I hung out the clothes.” Misha’s cracked voice whispered to Jared.

“I’m sorry but you’ll have to speak up.” The female detective said.

Jared glared at her so hard she flinched. “Can you do that Mish? Can you speak a little louder for me?”

“I should be quiet. Quiet at all times, unless they ask me a question.”

Jared’s heart stopped. He inhaled and the organ resumed beating, “Not now Misha. You don’t have to be quiet now.”

“I hung out the laundry, and sometimes watched the kittens in the garden, but not since before.”

“Before when?” Matthew asked.

“Before the promise. It is September now so two years four months.”

Jared swallowed down his angry grief. From there things only got harder to hear. He almost stopped the police more than once, but Alpha Davis shook his head or raised a hand. Jared tried to gauge Misha’s stress levels determined to walk out of there if it got too much. Finally it was over after discovering that Misha’s head had been shaved due to lice, that he lived in one tiny room, that he was so thin because he ate only leftovers, and that Julie was just a bad as her alpha in training their kittens to call him Dummy Doll. Misha gave bare facts, in a monotone detached way, but Jared’s imagination filled in the blanks plenty. 

The human cop wanted to know about sexual assault, but Jared and Matthew explained that they couldn’t pin that legally on either Fuller, as Misha was beta to Kurt’s alpha. It was still assault. Rape, Jared’s mind supplied, but almost impossible to get a conviction on, and he was not having Misha go through that humiliation only for Kurt and Julie to walk. Misha just muttered too low for the recording, “I was well used” and it broke Jared’s heart. 

Misha and Jared had to sign a form confirming their identities on the tape, and that the statement had been given without coercion. Then Jared gathered Misha close and walked with him back to the waiting room. Jensen stood and gave up his chair next to Jared’s so Misha could sit pressed up against him. 

Sandy came over and apologised to Misha. He let her take his hand, but Jared saw the dead look in his eyes.

Alpha McQueen turned up moments before Alpha Davis. They could go. Jared sighed with relief. He was passed a padded document envelope of train tickets, Haven Pack-Pride ID cards, booking for an overnight stay at a guesthouse in Oban, and a sealed letter for their new Alpha. McQueen drove them to the station and Davis used his Police ID to join them on the train. 

Misha took two seats across the table from Jared and Jensen, curled up and slept most of the way. Sandy, Ossian and Matthew took the four seats across the aisle. They arrived at Oban station before 9pm. Matthew knew the guesthouse, as they had used it before for those seeking refuge at Haven. It was only ten minutes walk from the station but Jared felt like it was miles. He had Jensen hanging off one arm and Misha off the other. Luckily their luggage was being stored at the station, and Ossian took their overnight bag with the emergency supply bag that Hybrid Rights had given the young couple. 

Matthew was greeted like an old friend by the mixed heritage elderly beta landlady, who took one look at the huddled group before cooing and directing them to their two adjoining rooms. She slapped Matthew’s arm and gave him a piece of her mind for not telling her that he was coming too. She told him he would have to take the sofa in her private sitting room. He just winked affectionately and said that it would not be the first time. 

She introduced herself as Midge, born to a lone wolf and an exiled fox many moons ago. Once they were settled she turned up with tea, sandwiches and scones, apologizing that she couldn’t offer them a meal. Sandy and Ossian came into Jared, Jensen and Misha’s room to eat the light supper. The elderly beta produced two mini-bars of chocolate for the ‘wee omegas’. Sandy rolled her eyes behind the woman’s back, but Jensen was all demure thanks and smiles. Jared watched as her heart melted over him, and he was barely surprised when she returned after clearing away their plates with an extra blanket for Jensen’s bed. 

Jared was worried about Misha. He hadn’t contributed to the conversation, and when Sandy or Ossian updated Jared on life events for various pride members, it was like the beta retreated deep inside his mind. 

“Alpha, where do I sleep?” Misha said when Sandy and Ossian had gone back to their room.

“Mish, for the love of God stop calling me Alpha.” Jared teased and then could have cracked his own skull against the wall, when he saw his friend flinch away from him. “Mish, I’m not angry with you. Please Dmitri.”

“Jared, would you call me Misha?” The cat kept his eyes on the floor.

“Of course. Not Dmitri?”

“No. Not Dmitri, not Dmitri Doll, not Doll, not anymore.” Misha gritted his teeth.

“Damn right.” Jared said, pleased to see some fight in the other cat, “So sleeping arrangements, somehow it is not _seemly_ for me and Kochanie to share a bed, so it will be one bed each, I’m guessing I get the middle one and you can have the left or the right?”

"Left, please Al... Jared.”

That was the one by the window, furthest from the door, where Misha would feel safest, Jared presumed.

“I have your emergency bag here, Misha.” Jensen said from where he had been laying out his and Jared’s night clothes and toiletries. “There’s sleep-pants and a toothbrush, and we have toothpaste. Do you want to use the bathroom first?”

Misha nodded, smiled at Jensen and took the items from him.

When he disappeared into the adjoining bathroom, Jensen came and wrapped his arms around Jared.

“You OK Jay Bird?”

“Yeah, I’m good. I am so naive Jen.” Jared banging his fist into his thigh, “I mean, I knew Misha wasn’t mating Kurt and Julie by choice, and I knew things wouldn’t be good, but I thought I’d find the Misha I left behind. The kiss stealing, cheeky but caring cat, who I would secretly smoke my Dad’s Polish cigarettes with... he is all messed up, and I feel so bad for him.”

“Shush” Jensen kissed and licked away the tears Jared hadn’t realised were falling. “We’ll have to start bottling all these tears Jay, and sell them as a magic alpha elixir.”

“Tears of an alpha?”

“I’m sure there is a spell somewhere that requires them. Maybe we could open a new age shop?”

“Seriously?”

“No.” Jensen laughed. “Can you see me dressed in tie dye with a feather in my hair?”

“I think you’d look quite sexy with a feather in your hair.” Jared licked his lips.

“Maybe you could paint me like that?” Jensen moved to sit on Jared’s lap.

“With just that feather as attire? I don’t know if I’d want anyone else to see you like that.” Jared leaned his head into the top of Jensen’s hair.

“You’d have to hide the painting in the attic.”

“Like Dorian Grey?”

“No Jared! I was thinking like one of those treasures they find on antique shows.”

“Oh, like for our grand-kittens to find, and be scarred and scandalised by naked grand-papa?” Jared teased.

“OK, ok, I concede to your long reaching logic.” Jensen tipped his head against Jared’s chest.

Misha cleared his throat, “I am done in the bathroom.”

Jensen stood up and blurted “I’m next”. Jared felt the empty space on his lap. 

When Jensen was gone, Misha came over and knelt in front of Jared, which was freaky and uncomfortable. “Jared...”

“Please, Misha, stand up.”

“No, Jaroslaw. I need to say this. You rescued me. I will never never forget it. I am so grateful. You are my alpha. I know tomorrow we will have a new Pride Alpha, but you have my loyalty for the rest of my life. Anything, anything I can ever do for you or your mate, I’ll do it.” 

Misha paused for breath, but Jared wasn’t letting him continue. “Misha, you are my friend. My best friend. I am only sorry I didn’t come sooner, or take you with me to Brighton. You are the person in the whole world outside of Mum, Dad and Jensen who I am closest to. I would do today over again in a shot, and you have nothing to make up to me, or try and repay me for. I love you, you dolt, and I appreciate your loyalty because you have mine. If you don’t like it at Haven and you want to move on, Jen and I will come with you, OK?”

“OK.” Misha agreed. He moved to the bed, as Jensen came back. As Jared headed to take his turn brushing teeth and washing face, he looked over only able to see Misha almost bald head under the covers. 

Jared pointed at Jensen’s extra blanket. Jensen mouthed ‘good idea’ and tucked it in around Misha.

At least he will be warm tonight, Jared thought, and we will have a new home tomorrow.

When he came back to the room Jensen was on the middle bed patting the mattress.

“Jensen, we can’t.” Jared was so tempted.

“Just to sleep Jay. There are three blankets. If I sleep under all of them, and you are under only the top two?” Jensen raised an eyebrow. Jared saw the hopeful longing for cosiness and couldn’t crush it. He didn’t want to and he yearned to be wrapped around in his omega. He lifted the top two blankets, slid in beside Jensen and cuddled around him. It took a long time to get to sleep. He listened to the rhythmic breathing of the other two, feeling Jensen’s chest rise and fall through the blanket. His mind ran with speculation about their destination and his stomach fluttered with anxiety that they would find a home there.

__++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++_ _

The Oban-Tiree Ferry took almost four hours, calling at Coll on the way. Jared felt freer and safer with every nautical mile. 

Alpha Davis sat them down an hour in and said he wanted to give them a quick brief of their new pride-pack so they didn’t walk in completely unprepared. He had an attentive audience.

“So guys, at the moment Haven has no temporary residents, but there is an actual Safe House owned by Hybrid Rights in the village where we send witnesses, those fleeing violence, and those who need a temporary refuge. The Alpha is not putting you up there as you are pledging allegiance. He has something else sorted for you, but for tonight we will all be at the Inn.”

“How many pack members are there?” Jensen asked.

“Fifteen or sixteen. One is in limbo, but that is not my story to tell.” Matthew sucked his lip for a second, “OK so both the village and the pride-pack have the same name; Haven. The Alpha is Ty. He is a widower. He owns the Inn and micro-distillery. He is wolf, the only pure wolf in the pack until you Jensen.”

“Are there any cats?” Ossian asked.

“There are cat hybrids. Four fully cat weres is quite an influx for them all. Also you and Sandy are pure bloods. I don’t believe that you will face any discrimination. Tolerance is paramount to everyone at Haven, but you may hear stories of intolerance by other purebloods.”

Sandy and Ossian nodded their understanding. Ossian took Sandy’s hand in his.

“The Second is Alpha Mark. He is a hybrid of mixed parents, so officially a were-creature. He is currently visiting family. He manages the distillery. The pride-pack is too small to have an official third or fourth. In fact until Jared and Ossian arrive Mark and Ty are the only alphas.”

“Are there other omegas?” Sandy asked hopefully.

“One mature omega. The Benedict family, Rob who is beta, Josie his mate is a female cat-fox omega. They have five children. They run the smokery. There is also an infant school. Beta-Claire is the teacher and her mate Beta-Ian works in the distillery and inn. Older children go to the High School in Cornaigmore.”

“Can I go there?” Jensen asked.

“You are already expected. The Benedict boys go too, so the bus already calls at Haven.” Matthew squinted his eyes in thought, “Oh, I forgot my own namesake. Amy runs the village shop, and her mate Matt fishes with Rob Benedict. They have two children. Matt is beta-fox and Amy is human. I see the raised eyebrows. I told you Tolerance and Haven are synonymous. No-one is turned away. Now any questions?”

“What are we to do?” Ossian asked. “I mean for work, jobs?”

“I don’t know but I am sure Ty will work something out with you all.” Matthew said confidently.

“Jensen and I are expectant mates, will we have to live apart?” Jared asked. 

“I doubt it. As long as you behave respectfully Ty should be amenable. He is pretty easy going unless he is dealing with an injustice.” 

Jared felt less nervous and more positive about their reception and place in the world after Matthew’s talk. He thought he might even be hopeful. 

A mini-bus taxi with a human driver was waiting for them at the pier in Scarinish. “More weres” the grey haired long faced man huffed, “You will be taking over the Isle at this rate.”

Jensen took the backseat with Misha. Jared sat up front where he could see the grin on the man’s face. “Is it far to Haven?”

“Such a wee run, I should hardly be charging the police at all, should I Mattie?”

“If you want to give your service free I won’t stop you Dougie.” Matthew shot back. “Jensen, Dougie is the school bus driver when he isn’t moonlighting for Connolly Taxis.”

“Hey Inspector, it’s not moonlighting when I pay my taxes.” The man called back, “Pleased to meet you Jensen, you still at school son?”

“Yes sir. Beginning my A-Level studies.”

“My Verity is starting hers too next week. You’ll be classmates.” Dougie laughed again, “Not that you’d call them separate classes exactly there being only about 100 pupils in the whole school.”

The minibus took a turn to the left, crossing the narrow isle on a single vehicle wide road. “Nearly at Vaul, sorry I mean Haven. ‘Tis still Vaul Beach and Vaul Bay, but Alpha Olsson called his village and his whisky Haven.”

Dougie waxed lyrical on the purity of Haven Whisky until they passed a group of self-catering cottages and a beach on their right. They turned into a loop in the road around a green area. The right side of the loop was a grassy expanse to the sea. The left side was the village; a scattering of buildings along a slope that rose from the shore line. He pulled up outside a white painted black roofed two story building with large windows and barrels of summer flowers next to two picnic tables. A short man with a scruffy beard and a tall black haired younger man, both in fishermen’s overalls were having pints of beer at one table. As the new arrivals got out of the bus and got their bags, a swarthy alpha with a face adorned with smile lines came out with baskets of breaded chicken. He gave them to the two fishermen noticing the bus and waving. Then he smoothed down his navy pinstripe cook’s apron and adjusted his fisherman’s cap before heading over to meet everyone.

“Ty Olsson.” He grinned at them all, “Welcome to Haven. Welcome Home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Isle of Tiree is a real place as is Vaul Beach, but there is no village there. Haven is purely fictional. There are some really pretty pictures on google images if you search Vaul Tiree.


	12. J2: Haven Allegiance

It had been controlled chaos when they entered Haven Inn. There was a mix of human customers, islanders and tourists enjoying drinks and food. All Jared and Jensen’s belongings were put into a half empty store room. There was a bit of confusion about who was sleeping where. There were seven guestrooms and Ty’s living quarters. Ty was needed in the kitchen and bar, so left the room assignment up to his human employee Sophie Robertson. In the end like at Midge’s bed and breakfast, Alpha Davis ended up in the private quarters for the night. Misha and Jensen got single bedrooms. Jared got a double, as did Sandy and Ossian. The other three rooms had paying guests. Sophie settled them all in and arranged for a couple of seafood pies to be served in the dining room. Dinner service ended at 9pm. Ty asked that the new arrivals come down to the dining room at 9.30 to meet the pride-pack.

Jensen hadn’t expected to sleep but he ended up napping in the nautical themed single room. He had to rush to join Jared in the hall at 9.15. Jared beamed when he saw him. They shared a few butterfly kisses, Jared leaning down and tilting Jensen’s face up with his hand. Then the werecat knocked on Misha’s door. The beta opened it a crack checking who was there before swinging it back wide and stepping out to join them. He had changed into a clean track pants and hoodie, one of the three sets provided by Hybrid Rights. It hit Jensen that Misha had left, been rescued, run, with absolutely nothing. Sandy and Ossian weren’t much better off but they had the clothes on their backs, their phones, wallets etc. 

“I’m nervous Jared.” Misha admitted at the top of the stairs. 

“Join the club.” Jensen gripped his promised alpha’s hand tight. “I’ve gone through this new pack thing once already this summer, and I’m anxious about what they will make of us.”

“Yeah,” Misha said quietly, “but there are going to be so many people there.”

“You give me the signal and we’ll retreat to our rooms OK?” Jared said, “And I’ll be with you both.”

Jensen nodded and saw Misha doing the same. They made their way into the restaurant cum dining room. A blond woman in her mid-twenties was setting the tables up for breakfast the next morning. She gave them a warm smile when they came in. There was some noise coming from the bar on the other side of a frosted glass door, from a TV and some patrons and perhaps the tourists who were occupying the other three bedrooms. 

Sandy and Ossian came in behind them. “We are too early, aren’t we Jared?” Sandy asked.

“Not at all,” Ty’s voice boomed as he came through the door from the bar. “I was just giving a few instructions to Crofter Bruce, who is kindly tending bar while we have our meet and greet.”

The waitress smiled over at the Alpha, “I’ll call Matt in if you are ready.”

“Good woman, Amy, get the Benedict lot in too. Where are your kids?”

“Matt left them with Lear and Angus, Alpha.”

“Good, good. Now Jared,” Ty turned around, “won’t you all take some seats while my ragged band of weres show their faces.” 

Once the five had seated themselves he continued, “Did you enjoy your meal?”

“We did. Thank you.” Jared said.

“Seafood pie is one of our specialities.” Ty said proudly, “It’s a secret recipe.”

Jensen had a good first impression of Ty. He didn’t inspire fear like Anders had in him, or demand his subservience like Julian’s presence had. There was more of a familial responsible authority about the wolf. This comfortable feeling didn’t prevent Jensen from feeling a little overwhelmed as he saw his new packmates coming in. Alpha Davis was in conversation with a tall beta with long blonde hair, and they were followed by a handsome black haired beta with a cheeky grin and a bartender’s waist apron around his black pants and white shirt. 

Finally Ty called for attention. “Haveners we are here to welcome our new members and accept their allegiance. Alpha Jaroslaw Padalecki is a werecat who has been exiled from Piseagard for the last two years.”

Jared stood and smiled tightly, “Call me Jared, and my friend when we get to his introduction is Misha.”

“Thank you Jared.” Ty inclined his head in acknowledgement. “With Jared is his omega promised mate, Jensen, a fellow wolf for my pack.”

Jensen raised his hand to wave at the room. He got several smiles in return and a big wave from a red-haired boy about his own age. 

“Jensen is from Texas originally and has left the Richings Pack without sanction.”

“Richings? As in Richings Petroleum?” The wavy blond haired waitress asked.

“Yes Amy as in RPI.” Ty confirmed. There were a few raised eyebrows. “At the next table are Ossian and Sandy Craig. They are an alpha/omega couple from Piseagard and as you can tell from their triple claw scars are pureblood wildcat.”

This time there were a few audible gasps, but Jensen couldn’t pinpoint from whom exactly, and no one made any comment.

“Finally next to Alpha Jared is Beta Misha, who was heroically snatched by our other new members yesterday morning before he could be forcibly gelded.”

“Bravo.” The older fisherman from earlier shouted.

“Hear hear” The bartender chipped in.

Ty grinned around at everyone. “My sentiments exactly. Now for our introductions...” 

Ty pointed at the older fisherman and his family. “Rob Benedict, fisherman, kipper smoker, beta wolverine, and his mate Josie, the real expert kipper smoker, omega cat-fox, and their second and third children, Alpha Colton who is your age Jensen and Beta Ewan who is a year younger.”

It was Ewan who had waved earlier. Colton was brown haired like his mother and had an alpha’s build, unlike either parent. 

Ty had continued “... their eldest Beta Felicia is away with friends. Their younger two, omega Lear and wee beta Angus are at home.”

Rob and Josie stood up together and welcomed everyone to Haven. Once they sat back down, Ty cleared his throat, “My trusty barkeep and distillery tour guide here is Ian Somerhalder, beta cat-wolf. The blonde bombshell with him is Claire our infant school teacher and beta wolf-lynx.”

The Somerhalders nodded to the newcomers. 

“Next table; my part-time waitress and our village shopkeeper here is Amy, our human member, and her mate is Matt who is beta fox and fishes with Rob. They have two of the cutest children in Scotland, Colin and Tyra.”

“He only says that because we named our toddler after him.” Amy teased.

“So that is us. My second Mark is dealing with a family matter at the Wiltshire Pride. He is Alpha were-creature and runs the distillery. His son Eric is living at Wiltshire with his alpha-cat mother currently but we hope he will return with Mark. Now do you have any questions before we do the formal pledging?”

Jensen waited a beat but as no-one else spoke he raised a hand.

“Yes Jensen,” Ty smiled kindly.

“Can I...” His mouth was going dry. He saw Jared’s concerned face and forced the words out, “Can Jay and I stay together?”

“I wouldn’t dream of forcing apart promised mates.” Ty reassured him.

“No Alpha, like can we live together.”

“Ah I see.” Ty rubbed his jaw, “Are you committed to your promise?”

Both Jared and Jensen talked over each other to insist they were.

“In that case, I think I could use my Alpha discretion and grant Jensen the right to mate before he is eighteen. How does the Autumn Equinox sound?”

“The 21st?” Jensen was sure he didn’t squeak, but he might have by the amused glances. 

“I believe so,” Ty looked at Jared, “Would you be willing Alpha Jared?”

“My heat.” Jensen said.

“Oh Lordie.” Ty smacked his forehead, “I’m so long away from other wolves, I forgot the cycle. Sorry Jensen, guess it will have to be two weeks today so? The 18th, or 19th?”

Jared pulled Jensen in and kissed his cheek, “I like the 19th. I was born on a 19th. That won’t be too close to your heat Jen?”

Jensen shook his head. He was going to be mated to Jared. Not next year but this month. He could hardly believe it. Mated, joined, together in their new pack, he smiled and leaned his head on Jared’s shoulder.

“How come you were never so omega-ffectionate with me Josie?” Rob moaned.

“Because you stank of fish and courted me with kippers.” She laughed and the rest of the Haveners joined in to what seemed to be an old well told joke.

Jensen expected them all to have to troop up to Ty and give their pledges but he was surprised with the alpha went to Ossian and asked him if he wanted to join Haven. When the alpha werecat responded, Ty moved to Sandy and then to Jared. 

“Jensen Ackles, do you pledge your allegiance to Haven and to me as your Pride-Pack Alpha?”

“I do.” Jensen felt the power of those words. With them he left behind Richings and his link to his home in Texas. There was optimism and hope in them.

Finally Ty knelt beside Misha, “Misha Collins, I promise you that you will come to no harm under my watch. I will never let anyone from Piseagard come here looking for you. I offer you my protection and shelter as Pride Alpha. Will you pledge your allegiance to Haven and to me as your Pride-Pack Alpha?”

Misha held out his hand and Ty took it as if to shake it, but he kept hold of the cat’s palm. “I do, thank you.” Misha whispered. 

Jensen felt Jared relax beside him. He realised that if Misha had said no, then Jared would have left with him, and he would have followed them both.

“Can I ask something, Alpha?” Sandy spoke up.

“Certainly Omega Sandy.” 

“We have been wondering about our roles. Ossian worked on the farm at Piseagard and I have been taking beauty therapy courses. I have my nail technician, ear piercing, make-up and hand massage certifications. I was working on my threading and facial skincare.”

“Did you really want to be a beautician?” Amy asked.

“Oh yes. My Mum had to work hard on Alpha Blackthorne to get him to agree but once I said I’d give my services to his mate and daughters for free he supported it.” Sandy explained. 

Jensen could see the enthusiasm in her expression.

“Well now...” Ty rubbed his face with his hand. “There is no beauty salon on the Isle. While that might make things more difficult for you at the moment, it means there is a business opportunity for Haven when you are qualified. We will look into online learning for you and see about getting you a day a week in an Oban Salon perhaps.”

“There is a very good salon in Coll, Ty.” Claire said. “It is where I go. Sandy wouldn’t have as far a sea journey. I’ll chat with Mrs Lennon and see if she would take on Sandy for her practical experience.”

Ty clapped his hands once. “There we are! Just like that. One sorted four to go. Ossian, if you love farm work, I can see if our crofter neighbours have any work for you, but they only take on seasonal extra help. If you are willing to give it a try, Rob and Matt always need an extra pair of hands, even more so with Colton and Ewan back at school.”

Ossian agreed to give fishing a try.

“Jensen.”

The omega looked up at their alpha and waited. He was a little nervous but Jared put his hand on his knee under the table.

“I understand, Jensen, that you are taking your A-levels. I’m no expert on schooling. You should talk to Josie afterwards, her girl got on so well she is off to Glasgow to university. Once our children reach seven they leave Claire’s infant school and attend Tiree High, which takes all the children on the island from five to school leaving. You will have Colton, Ewan and Lear to help you settle in.”

“Thank you.”

“Jared. I hope you might accept the role of caretaker and manager of our Haven Holiday Homes.”

Jensen felt Jared startle at the unexpected offer.

Ty continued. “I had a distant cousin in the role until last week, as his student summer job. Eric was doing it before he left. So we have no one. It would be a great help. Also there is a problem with cottage number five. It has the smallest outdoor patio and its view of the sea is blocked by our sycamore tree. Renting it to visitors only leads to complaints so I am afraid you and Jensen will have to live there.”

Jared laughed with his head thrown back, “Did you just give us a house, Alpha?”

“I believe I did.” Ty said with a satisfied smirk and some of the others joined in the mirth.

“Ah-hum, Jared is an artist.” Jensen interrupted the laughter.

“Really? A painter?” Ty looked interested.

“I went to art college. I was artist in residence at Richings. That is how I met Kochanie.” Jared leaned over to give Jensen another peck on the cheek. 

“Well well. I think if powerful Croesus Julian Richings can be a Wolf Pack Alpha with an artist in residence, I don’t see why Ty Olsson can’t have the same.” Ian called out from where he was tilted back on his chair.

“I could put some of your work in the village shop,” Amy said with enthusiasm, “and there are craft galleries in Scarinish and near the airport.”

“We could do with replacing some of the moth eaten canvases in the Inn.” Ty joined in, “We could put ‘on sale’ signs for the visitors.”

“I have my art materials in your store room.” Jared said, his eyes bright at the way his talent was being received before they had even seen a piece of his work. “I would just need some space to work.”

“We’ll work that out. Now Misha, what about you? What talents are you hiding?” Ty grinned.

Misha dropped his head, “Nothing. I’m pretty useless.” He gulped. Jensen moved quickly and pulled him into a one armed hug.

“What did you like at school Misha?” He tried.

“I don’t remember. I didn’t like school they....”

Sandy stopped him, “Misha had a hard time with the purebloods in our class. Jared had to step in a lot.”

“Is there anything you would like to try?” Ty asked gently.

“I’m good at bread.”

“What?”

“My.... them... they, “ Misha’s breath quickened and Jensen was getting concerned that he was going to witness a panic attack of the kind he experienced back at the Ackles Pack when facing that gathering. Jared looked like he was about to snatch Misha and run from the room, but Misha got his breathing under control and continued, “When they knew.... I baked well... they got me recipes and ingredients and I... sometimes I baked all night and they took the loaves to the pride as gifts...”

“But did you enjoy it or was it a chore?” Ty asked with gravity.

“It was difficult to go without sleep but I loved it,” Misha looked up and met his new alpha’s eyes, “to see the dough rise and smell it baking and see flour and water, yeast and seeds, transform into loaves and buns... it is like magic... and I would do a too small bun or a misshaped roll so I could eat one myself before my daily chores.”

Misha was smiling now and his blue eyes lit up, but Jensen felt the pain of Misha’s lost years in that horrible house. Jared had turned his face away. Jensen suspected he was overcome. Sandy was weeping into Ossian’s shoulder.

“Why are you crying Sandy? I am telling the truth I did enjoy bread making.” Misha asked.

“Julie... she said she made them... she didn’t even give you credit for your talent.” Sandy pulled her head up from her alpha-mate’s body, “ Alpha-Ty, Misha’s bread is delicious.”

“Well now, you have solved another problem for me. I have been either sleep deprived myself from rising early enough to make soda loaves and scones for the guests’ breakfast and lunch menus, or I have been paying over the odds for the ferry delivered bakery breads. Misha if you would include some morning food prep with your baking, I would be glad to hand over my kitchen to you in the mornings. Think on what else you might like to do. You are only 20? Yes? There are educational options too.”

“No. That will be good. Can I start tomorrow? I don’t need much sleep. I could come to the kitchens at 4am maybe?” Misha offered.

“Not tomorrow. You have had a long couple of days. I don’t want my new Alpha-cat Havener, Jared, stringing me up within 24 hours, if you collapse on us, and I have bread ordered for the week. Let’s give you a few days rest. We can talk about what ingredients you’ll need and you can start next Monday. Now you must all be wrecked. Why don’t we call it a night. Welcome again to Haven.”

Ty stood up and the rest of the pride-pack stood as he left the room.

“I feel much better about here now.” Sandy said.

“Yeah Sandrina, you don’t have to get on a boat, in the sea, surrounded by water, and nets and hooks and wind and rain.” Ossian grouched.

“Pussy!” Matt called.

“What?” Ossian gasped.

“No offence, but wait until we go out on the trawler. There is nothing as glorious as the sea.” Matt responded.

“Or as much of a bitch when She won’t cooperate.” Colton added.

“Colton. Language!” Rob smacked the back of his taller son’s head.

Jensen watched them in amusement. Soon everyone was mingling together but his energy was dropping and he could see Misha flagging beside him. How the beta had thought he would be good to go at 4am, Jensen couldn’t figure. Jared was talking about some art exhibition that ran in London earlier in the summer with the teacher Claire.

“Jay Bird, sorry to interrupt.”

“What darling?”

“Would you mind if Misha and I retired?”

“Wait a moment and I’ll walk you up.” Jared offered.

“No no, alpha. It is only at the top of the stairs, stay and enjoy your evening.” Jensen stood and kissed the top of Jared’s forehead, before he and Misha left the dining room.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The next week was hectic. Jared and Jensen moved into their new home at the holiday cottages. Number Five had the same layout as the others. Downstairs was open plan kitchen and living area with a cloakroom toilet by the front door and sliding glass rear doors opening on a patio that faced the sea. Upstairs was dormer with sloping outer walls. There were two bedrooms, one each for now, and a bathroom between. There was a small cubby attic high in the eaves which had the water tank and a little room for storage. Jensen quite liked the leafy sycamore tree that obscured their view of the beach and ocean. He asked Jared for one of his sketch pads and inserted a leaf on the day they moved in. As it was a holiday home it had all the appliances they needed, even cutlery, plates, towels and bed linen. 

Jensen helped Jared with his duties. They loaded up the laundry in the evenings and Jensen filled the cart before he went to school in the morning. Jared’s duties ranged from bookings and checking guests in and out, repair work, mowing the green area, litter picking on the beach, dealing with visitors' enquiries and it seemed making friends with everyone who stayed there. He planned to make individual painted signs for each house number. 

Jensen was getting used to his new school. Colton and Ewan introduced him to everyone. He sat between Ewan and the bus driver’s daughter, raven dark haired Verity. He dropped history, as without a tutor on British and European history, it would have been a monumental task. Instead he was taking English Lit, Biology and Psychology. 

Sandy and Ossian had been given a little two roomed cottage between the Inn and the shop. Misha was staying at the Inn. Jared had almost insisted Misha come and live with them, but he backed down. He had worried and talked it all out with Jensen but finally decided that he had to respect his friend’s decision. Misha had explained that it was easier for his early working hours, and he wanted the soon-to-be mates to have their own home. He might not have been living with them, but Jensen was pleased to find Misha at the cottages most days when he got home; sometimes watching their TV while Jared was busy, sometimes sitting on the grass next to Jared while he painted the panoramic sea views. 

One of Jensen’s favourite things about the holiday cottages was that they had free Wi-Fi for the guests. Jared’s laptop had survived all the transfers from cars to trains to ferry, but the alpha was going to have to make an appointment with his omega to use it. Jensen did need a computer for his schoolwork, but the browser history would have shown many late night hours on Skype and facebook with Christian and Steve. He had ended up striking lucky and being able to facebook chat with Sally at the Ackles Pack. Anders had forbidden anyone from mentioning Jensen again, but his omega friend told him that Aunt Beth had told her mother, that she was delighted that her ward had found a love-match. On the first Saturday, Jensen got a message from Christian saying he had gotten a friend request from Stephen Amell and what did he think. Jensen found he was pleased that Stephen had taken him up on his suggestion of contacting Chris and he asked his friend to accept the wolf alpha.

Sunday was the full moon. Their first pride-pack run had Jared and Jensen strumming with energy and anticipation. Jared had been on a high all day. He had kissed and licked the inside of Jensen’s mouth at breakfast until the omega complained he would starve if they didn’t eat. Midmorning on their beach walk, Jared had picked Jensen up and twirled him onto his back and then run into the bracing sea. He whooped with laughter at Jensen’s frivolous complaints at getting his ankles wet. Back at their house, Jared had undressed Jensen and pulled him into a hot shower. He soaped up Jensen’s body as the omega leaned against the tiles with his eyes closed, basking in Jared’s possessive muttering and attentive cleaning. Then Jared knelt and sucked down Jensen’s cock. As his alpha licked and then hummed around him, Jensen hardened. It was mind-blowing. When Jared sank one of his long fingers into Jensen’s slickened hole, Jensen couldn’t prevent himself from letting go and coming in Jared’s mouth. He began to apologise but Jared stopped him with a nip to his right nipple and a second finger. Jared had moaned how he wanted to take Jensen there and then, but he wouldn’t. They would wait. Jensen wrapped two hands around Jared’s cock. It was different with the recumbent spines, like nodules against his palms and fingers. He almost came again imagining them rubbing against his slickened inner walls. He knew they would do the same ovulation stimulation as a were-canine’s knot and he panted in anticipation of experiencing the sensation. If Jared had said one word of encouragement he would have spread his legs, kneeled on all fours, wrapped his body around Jared’s waist, whatever his alpha wanted. However Jared seemed to have superior willpower and once he had shot his load under Jensen’s rapid hands, the alpha rinsed them off and moved them to his bed. They lay wrapped around each other for the afternoon. In the early evening they went to the Inn for a group meal. Misha got vast complements for his special occasion honeyed rye bread. Ossian had been onboard when the main course whole sea bass had been landed and he was included in the whisky toast to the fishermen.

As dusk approached the pride-pack gathered on The Green. Some visitors and a couple of the crofter families watched from outside the Inn. Ty pointed to the west towards the top of the slope where the Iron Age fort ruin clung to the edge of the low cliff. This was their final destination, no matter how far they ran. Amy dashed onto the green, holding a pretty golden haired toddler on her hip and her cute five year old boy by the hand. They all hugged Matt before joining the rest of the crowd as cheerleaders. 

Ty dropped his hand and everyone began to shift. Jensen deliberately waited a few moments. He saw Rob’s piebald wolverine take off followed by Josie’s russet cat with fox ears. Ian’s mini-cat-sized wolf and Claire’s larger wolf with lynx markings took off towards their own garden. A fox dashed around his legs before his hand was licked by a huge grey wolf. He was surrounded by four cats all sitting upright on their haunches. Jared-cat yowled impatiently. Ty-wolf nudged him with his head. Jensen guessed he had delayed long enough. He shook and steadied himself and let the pull of Luna work on his body. There was the moment of intense pain as his bones popped and then he was wolf. He submitted immediately to Ty, exposing his throat and dropping flat to the ground. 

“Good wolf, good omega.” He heard in his mind. He was amazed. Ty was one of the few with the ability his great-grandfather had been renowned for. His wolf could communicate. Jensen-wolf tried to tell Ty this, and how he had been told that his first infant wolf word had been heard, and how amazing it was. Ty’s laugh rumbled through their pack-link. “Happy now, Jensen-wolf, long years without a wolf link. Come now, run with your cats, little wolfling.”

Ty moved away like a streak of lightening chasing Matt-fox as he dashed for the pier. Jensen turned to see Jared beside him. He was bigger than Jared. It was so strange. Jared was a large cat and Jensen a small omega wolf, but he was definitely the bigger mate here. His wolf preened himself and licked Jared’s head between his ears. Jared took him by surprise . The alpha-cat rose on his hind legs, wrapped his front paws around Jensen’s neck and caught the scruff of his neck in his jaws. Jensen-wolf dropped down in submission. He left Jared pull on his skin. This was his alpha. It was unimportant that he was a cat. The wolf was happy with his choice. Jared pulled back and gave a happy peeping meow. Jensen lolled his tongue to show he was blissfully happy too. Then Jared forehead bumped Misha and moved off towards Vaul Beach. Jensen and the cats followed him. They made a large circle as if Jared was marking out their territory. He literally did several times, spraying fences and walls impressively. Jensen pissed up against the sycamore tree. His omega scent was more delicate and would be lost in the night air but he knew he had left his own mark on their home place.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Monday -----

Kane_Chris: Friend Request Accepted. I hope Jensen isn’t a fool.

StephenAmellWolf: Is he OK?

Kane_Chris: Jen asked me to tell you he is a hybrid pack member on the Isle of Tiree. Mating Ceremony on the 19th. 

Kane_Chris: You still logged on Amell? Can you delete this thread?

Kane_Chris: Fcuker at least reply.

StephenAmellWolf: Deleting Thread. No one will find out.

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
>  The mating ceremony to come......


	13. J2: Union

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Jensen was pulsing with anticipation of his mating day. He was sure that the other Haveners could see it. It must surely be glowing around him like a halo or a beacon.

For the last few evenings he had been feverish when making out with Jared, fumbling his alpha’s clothes off before they could make it to a bed, licking Jared’s broad chest in long strokes as if he was wolf and was marking his mate, and unable to stop himself from begging for his alpha’s cock, then collapsing in apologies for teasing Jared when they had agreed to wait, and finally being soothed by Jared’s kisses and stroking hands. If someone came now and told him he would have to wait until his birthday in March to mate Jared, then he would totally lose his mind.

Jensen opened the wooden gate to Amy and Matt’s garden. He tried to imagine what Jared would paint on their promised sign. The garden was neat rows of vegetables with halved barrels of herbs and carrot tops clustered under the windows. He pondered if the Cohens detested flowers or if it was all practicality. He raised his hand to tap the fox head brass knocker. The door swung open to reveal little Colin’s sandy blond mop of hair and chocolate covered face beside Omega Lear Benedict’s grinning freckled face.

“Come in Jensen. There was chocolate buns but we ate them.” He was informed by the five year old boy.

“Thank you Colin. Did you like the buns?”

“They were the best, Misha made them. But don’t tell Mum and Josie that we ate them, ‘cause me and Lear and Angus told her it was a Selkie who sneaked into the kitchen.”

Jensen laughed as the boy marched confidently down the hall to lead them into the large farmhouse style kitchen with its wide window overlooking the sea. Sandy and Josie his fellow omegas, Amy, Claire and the children were waiting for him. The rest of Haven was at Jared’s bachelor party up at the Inn.

Amy and Claire began to hum “Here comes the bride” as if it was a human pre-wedding party. 

Jensen could feel his face reddening, “Hey I’m not wearing a wedding dress!”

“You are wearing white though aren’t you Jensen?” Josie asked, “It is traditional for an omega mating.”

Jensen nodded. He was wearing a pair of white trousers that Ty said a previous chef had left behind and a plain white shirt that he had bought after school in Craignamore. It was summer cotton and he hoped that Wednesday would be a warm September day, or his mating attire would be accentuated by goose bumps. Ty had also helped Jensen by taking him with him to Coll when he went to see Mrs Lennon about Sandy’s beautician experience. There was a craft jewellers in Coll. Jared had told him that it didn’t matter that he had no ring to exchange in return for the one that Jared’s father was bringing from Krakow, but Jensen had said he was going to come up with something. He knew Jared thought he was getting a low grade silver or a glass ring for around £20, but Jensen still had money from the last ATM withdrawal from Stephen’s account. He found a handsome wide silver band, hand engraved with triple spirals. It was heavy and solid with a small round onyx set into the centre. Jensen fell in love with it when he saw it. It didn’t matter that it ten times what Jared expected him to spend. Jensen felt a little twinge of something nebulous and forlorn that he was using the last of Stephen’s money to buy Jared’s ring, but he knew the Richings alpha would not begrudge him his happiness.

He was pulled back from his musings by Amy handing him a long flute of champagne. “Just for the toast, Jensen.” She winked.

Josie stood up and tapped the side of her glass with a spoon. “We, the real heart of Haven, are gathered here tonight to celebrate Jensen’s mating to Jared. Let the alphas and the boys have their fun at the Inn. We are having our night without their boorish buffoonery.”

“Boorish buffoonery?” Claire laughed, “I’ll have to get you into the classroom for story time.”

“Now Claire, you know Angus wouldn’t want me to cramp his style by coming to school with him.”

“No Mummy. You’re not allowed in school.” Angus folded his arms and pursed his lips at the adults from his place on the play mat with Colin and Tyra. 

Jensen saw a copy of the order of ceremony on the kitchen counter. Amy noticed him looking.

“It is Josie’s copy,” Amy explained, “She was practicing her line before you all arrived.”

“I know I only have one line, Jensen, but the thought of stumbling over my words in front of Ty and all the pack....” Josie shivered.

“Think how I feel,” Jensen sighed, “I’m a ball of nerves about remembering what to say and what to do.”

Sandy had picked up the two stapled sheets of printed text and was running her finger along where Josie had highlighted, “Oh it says Jensen’s family or pack alpha should....”

“Look. It is fine,” Jensen didn’t want sympathy for this. Things were the way that they were and there was no way his Aunt Beth was going to magically appear, or a long dead parent, and Ty was presiding over the ceremony. “I have no family. The mating ritual at Ackles was much shorter. Josie as the senior omega and my new friend has kindly agreed to do the giving away bit.” 

Jensen smiled at everyone, but his heart wasn’t in it. He had asked Misha to stand with him, but he understood that the beta felt he would not be able to cope the role. Josie and her omega son Lear were going to walk with him and Josie would hold Jared’s ring.

“This is Haven.” Josie said proudly in reaction to Jensen saying she was his new friend. “Refuge of the lost. We have seen mating and naming rites for many who have come, like you, without family or friend.”

“What about your mating Mum?” Lear asked with his mouth full of an egg mayo sandwich.

“Well Lear, I mated at your Daddy’s pack with my sister and mother in attendance.”

“So you lived with a wolverine pack?” Sandy asked fascinated.

Josie huffed and pulled her long brown braid over her right shoulder. She stroked the end of her hair while she spoke. “They were never very happy that Rob mated a hybrid like me, especially one that was not half-wolverine. I think it was my omega gender which let them accept the match. You see, Jensen, Sandy, wolverines aren’t as fussed about bloodlines and purity as cats and they revere omegas as Luna’s blessings. Lear would be like a little god if we still lived there.”

Lear’s eyes were like saucers, “Is that why I always get the best presents from Granny?”

Josie muttered something about opening her big mouth to her twelve year old, “We lived with Lear’s Granny. She taught me the art of kipper smoking. She was the alpha in that house.”

“She is fiercesome.” Lear interjected.

“Did Felicia teach you that word?”

Lear nodded.

“So Felicia, Colton and Ewan were born at the pack, but the other children didn’t make it easy for them as the only hybrids of their generation. Then Rob’s Dad was lost at sea. He moved to a new trawler, but his new captain was more bigoted. Finally Granny Benedict gave us a new start. Mortimer, one of Rob’s crewmates had a cousin who was mated to a Hidden-One and he knew Mark Pellegrino, and how Mark and Ty were setting up a business here. We turned up on Ty’s doorstep with our bags, three children and me heavy with Lear. We never left.”

Jensen hadn’t eaten a bite of the delicious smoked kipper pate on toast that was resting on the plate on his knee, while Josie told her story. “So was it just your family, Ty and Mark?”

“No. Kath and Eric were here. Ty’s mate Amber too. The beta and his son who built the holiday homes and renovated the cottages, the Wesleys, they moved on a few years back when Theo got building commissions on the mainland.”

“The gay ones.” Lear commented.

“What did you say?” Amy paused half way to pouring out another round of sparkling wine.

“At school, April has two Dads.” Lear looked like this explained everything but then added, “I asked her who was her Mum, but she said she had two Dads, and I said that was impossible cos when I mated I’d be the Mum, and then she said I couldn’t cos I am a boy and I said one of those Dads was her Mum really, and then she punched my arm and told me her Dads are gay, none of them are a fertile and they got her from an agency. So it is like Beta Theo and Omega Roy, cos Paul was Theo’s son from before, and Theo and Roy couldn’t have babies together so they were gay.” Lear nodded to emphasize his logic.

“I’ll leave it up to you,” Amy grinned at Josie.

“Lear, in the old days and in some packs, omegas can’t mate betas or other omegas, and male omegas can only mate alphas, because the male omegas need the alpha to have children, but it is not like that anymore. With humans in the old days and still to some humans, men can’t marry men and women can’t marry women, but there is nothing wrong with it, and gay is a human term.”

“Oh I didn’t think it was wrong,” Lear added, “April’s Dads are the bomb.”

Sandy asked “What about you Claire and Amy? How did you come to Haven?”

Claire turned from where she had been getting some more treats from Amy’s fridge, “I met Ian in Oxford. We couldn’t go home to our parents, even though they are hybrids, neither of them understood. My alpha wolf father wanted me to mate another alpha wolf in his pack so my mother’s lynx DNA would fade out of our family line. Dad loved Mum very much but still wanted wolf descendants. Ian’s family are just bloody pricks. I got my degree as I was in my final year but Ian had to drop out.”

“Matt’s pack abjured him for taking a human mate.” Amy said through closed teeth. It was clear to Jensen that she was not going to say any more.

The conversation lapsed a bit. Sandy tried to get Jensen to tell her what he had written for his personal vows but Jensen diverted her by asking if she had chosen paint colours for her cottage. 

Josie and Amy warmed up rest of the chocolate buns that they had hidden from small grasping hands and served them with clotted cream. 

Josie opened the large slouchy handbag she had by her chair and pulled out a set of six small shrink wrapped bottles. She put them in front of Jensen. They looked like a set of probiotic yoghurt drinks.

“A gift.” She grinned.

Jensen gazed at the little brown bottles without understanding.

“I take the first one when I feel the heat coming, but as a wolf you know your dates within a day or two, so take one tonight and continue each evening.” She noticed Jensen’s frown, “You have heard of omega contraceptives?”

“Heat sups?” Jensen asked with horror.

“Nothing so barbaric. I forget you both grew up in packs away from modern developments.”

“I certainly did.” Sandy grunted.

“Sandy you can take the adapted human contraceptive pills like I do.”

“You do?” Sandy gasped.

“I have been with Rob over half my life. How do you think as an omega I have only five children and not twenty five?” Josie laughed. “Jensen, as a male omega you can only resort to my emergency ovulation suppressants. You can’t use them every heat but they aren’t harsh on your body like the old heat suppressants. I have them on hand in case I’ve missed a pill and I go into heat unexpectedly.”

“But if I take these and you need them?” Jensen asked.

“I’ll do what I have done before,” Josie chortled.

“She’ll send Dad out to sea for a few days.” Lear giggled. 

“That I will.” Josie nodded.

The rest of the evening was comfortable. They moved to the sitting room at the front of the house. Amy put Colin and Tyra to bed. Angus snuggled up with Colin. Lear shifted to his unusual hybrid canine form with cat’s whiskers and tail and curled up on his mother’s lap. 

Jensen was going to school on Monday but was excused a week from then, for his mating and his heat. Claire arranged to come to the holiday home the following evening and give Jensen a haircut. Sandy was going to buff his nails on Tuesday morning and give him a facial. He told her she was not to use him as a guinea pig, nightmares of mating covered in allergy pimples flashing through his mind. Sandy reassured him that she would take good care of him, and Jensen decided to trust her abilities.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tuesday was a glorious autumn day. Tiree was living up to its reputation as the sunshine isle. Not a cloud broke the sky. Jensen could only hope the next day was as blessed. 

Mid-afternoon found him was sitting outside Ty’s Inn on the picnic bench. He was trying to read about xylem and phloem in his biology textbook, so that he would not fall behind his class. He rubbed the back of his newly exposed neck. Claire had removed his rock star locks. His hair was not short but more of a floppy androgen cut. Jensen liked it and Jared told him he looked less teen and more young man of the world. He had told a white lie to Christian. His webcam was not on the blink, he just couldn’t take it if Christian freaked out when he saw the length was gone. 

He tilted his head back to feel the sun. Ty was doing the same at the other table. The Alpha was enjoying an empty Inn and leaning back with his elbows on the wooden planks. They were waiting to greet Adrianne. Jared’s cousin had come by ferry and Dougie was due to drop her off. Jared had taken Ty’s Land Rover to the airstrip to meet his parents and his friend Alona, who had travelled together on flights from London via Glasgow. 

The sound of engines came before the mini-bus appeared on the looping road around The Green. Dougie’s taxi was followed by a black leather clad biker with a black visored helmet. 

Ty growled and stood calling back towards the Inn as if Sophie could hear him, “I said no visitors to be booked in until Thursday!”

The biker swung his leg over and used his foot to flick out the kickstand. He began to unstrap one of his twin panniers but seemed to change his mind and instead marched determinedly towards Ty. Then he passed Ty. Jensen’s eyes widened staring at the rider’s approach, even as he saw Adrianne’s curls bouncing out of the mini-bus. The biker pulled off his helmet and Jensen was pulled up, and wrapped within Stephen’s strong arms. 

“You didn’t think I was gonna let you be mated with no-one to stand at your side, did you Jensen?”

“Stephen,” was all Jensen could say as hot tears poured down his sun warmed cheeks.

The alpha wolf kept Jensen pressed against his chest letting the omega sink into his body. 

“How are you here?” Jensen whispered into the warm black leather.

“Oh I am not here. I am on Mull accessing the MacLean clan records. My credit card shows I am paid up for three nights in Tobermory.”

Jensen pulled his shoulders back and saw Stephen wink down at him.

“I like the hair.”

Ty cleared his throat, “Omega Jensen who is this?”

Jensen turned to face Ty but stayed under Stephen’s arm, “Alpha, this is Stephen Amell from Richings. He is going to stand with me for my mating.” Jensen beamed and resolutely ignored Ty’s shock and Adrianne dropping her bag to the ground.

“Stephen,” Jensen smiled up at the other wolf, “This is Ty Olsson, my Pack Alpha and Adrianne Palicki, Jared’s cousin.”

Stephen extended a hand to Ty. Jensen saw Ty taking in the Richings arm cuff where Stephen’s sleeve rode up.

“Well Jensen Sugar, you sure are full of surprises. Any more of the wolves who I am meant to be sheltering you from gonna turn up?”

Stephen gave a snorting laugh, “If I had confided in him, Seb would have come, but I have not breathed a word about Jen’s whereabouts. In fact I am officially in mourning for my lost fiancé.”

“You are?” Jensen asked concerned that the jesting tone attempted to cover up a kernel of truth in that statement.

“Jen, you would not believe how much progress I have made with my book, with them all giving me a wide berth. Now, come and show me where that darned cat dragged you off to live!”

With Ty’s approval, Jensen gave Stephen a short walk around the village. He offered him a place on the final distillery tour of the day with Ian, but Stephen said he’d like a cold cider at the Inn. They went around to the side and rear wrapping beer garden. Misha and Adrianne were at a table sharing some late lunch. Jensen welcomed Adrianne to Haven and introduced his alpha friend to Misha. Then he took Stephen to a more private table sheltered by a vine wrapped trellis. 

The seafood chowder and Misha’s black bread obviously was to Stephen’s taste and he ate like a ravenous wolf. He apologised, saying he had eaten nothing since his early departure from Mull. Then he got Jensen holding his side with a laughter induced stitch. Joe had been arrested for driving while high and for possession. Julian had been apoplectic, once when JD was sent to bail his brother out, and again when it hit the newspapers.

Stephen wanted to know what Jared and Jensen had planned for after the ceremony. Jensen ran through the arrangements; Ty’s buffet, Misha’s cake, Rob, Matt and Crofter McLaughlin’s celli band, and his I-pod jack getting connect to the sound system.

“So we get trad followed by rock?” Stephen chuckled.

A babble of voices came through the open Inn doors. A cockney accent was requesting English to be spoken. 

Jensen’s heart clenched and he froze in position. He didn’t know how Jared and Stephen were going to react to each other.

Then Jared was standing in front of the table hissing Stephen’s name. An older grey haired man of Jared’s height put a restraining hand on his arm and urged “Spokojnie. Calm down, son. Uspokuj się.”

Stephen rose and came around the table to Jensen’s side, “Hello Jared.”

“What are you doing here, wolf?”

Stephen held out a hand, “Calm down, Jared. I am standing for Jen.”

“Kochanie?”

Jensen bit his lip, “Christian let Stephen know and he came to give us his blessing Jay.”

Jensen could see Jared’s face soften but there was a hard gleam in his eye as he glared at Stephen’s other hand resting on Jensen’s shoulder.

Jared huffed, “Well Amell, you have proven a good friend to Jensen, so welcome to Haven.” He took the other alpha’s hand in a brief strong shake.

“Thank you. Jensen showed me around. It is a beautiful village.”

Jared took a step to the side revealing the two people at his back. “Jen, I would like you to meet my parents, Davina and Tomasz.”

The tall thin alpha stepped forward. His middling height sandy haired beta, bearing the triple pureblood cheek scars stood at his side. Tomasz took Jensen’s hand and kissed the back of it, he smiled kindly and welcomed him to the family. Davina swamped him in a hug of Jared’s like warmth. He could smell her face powder and the freesia scent she had applied. 

“A wee omega for my Jaroslaw.” She said emotionally, “I feared for so long that Alpha would geld my boy, and then that Jared would end up alone in a world of humans...”

“Mum!” Jared was turning beet red.

His mother shushed him and moved across like a pouncing cat to swamp Misha in his own hug. 

“Dmitri, Dmitri, Forgive us. Our hands were tied. Alpha threatened Jaroslaw when Tomasz protested your mating promise. I am so sorry pet.” She stroked the black fuzz of Misha’s hair.

“It is OK Beta Padalecki. I’m fine now.”

“Are you sure? Do you like it here? Tomasz and I are moving to a rented flat near his job on the Perth Campus. You could stay with us if Haven...”

Misha stopped her, “No Please. I love it here. Thank you. I know you mean well. I remember every time you patched me up when Jared brought me home with him from school. I remember how you both were there for me when my Mum passed. But I have a new life here, and Mrs Padalecki will you call me Misha?”

“Of course and you must call me Davina.” She linked her arm into his and sat him down at a table with Tomasz. 

Jensen’s vision was filled with a grinning blond girl, “Hi. Alona. Jared’s BFF at Uni. Taker-in of stray artist felines. As Jared is my werecat bro, that makes my your new human sis-in-law. Hi.”

“Ahem, Hi?” Jensen tried. “Jensen, Jared’s omega.”

“Oh Jared, he is hopeless. Witty banter with peeps much?” Alona dramatically put the back of her hand to her forehead.

“Alona, leave Jensen alone.” Jared called from where he was bending over to speak to his seated father. 

“I don’t mind Jay.” Jensen assured him, but he sneaked his hand back to find Stephen’s. “Alona, would you excuse us? I need to find Sophie to secure a room for Stephen.”

“She is a firecracker.” Stephen commented. He picked up his panniers from behind the bar and opened the one he had begun to unbuckle when he arrived. He extracted a large brown paper wrapped parcel, “For you babe.”

Jensen picked up the bar’s lemon slicing knife and cut the twine around his gift. Peeling back the paper he found a snow white linen collarless Hartford shirt, a fine knit light weight low-V Paul Smith white cardigan, a pair of Michael Kors slim fitted casual linen trousers, and a pair of sliver wolf’s head profile cufflinks. 

“I don’t know what to say.”

“It is tradition in the Amell pack for the standing Alpha to present the omega with his or her clothes for the mating ceremony. I took the liberty of accessing your school uniform measurements.” Stephen looked sheepish, “Do you like?”

“I’ve never had such finery.” Jensen smoothed his hand over the soft cashmere of the cardigan. He noticed Stephen was still waiting. “I love them, but it is too much.”

“No it isn’t.” Stephen spoke in a voice that brooked no argument. “Now where is this Sophie person?”

“Here alpha,” the perky little crofter’s daughter called from the top of the stairs, “If you come up I’ll show you our sea view bedroom.”

“See you later Jensen?” Stephen asked as he picked the bags.

Jensen stood on his tippy toes to give Stephen a peck on the cheek, “I’m glad you came.”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Wednesday was almost as beautiful a day as Tuesday. A winter tinged sea breeze made Jensen thankful for his cashmere cardigan. He looked down at his white clothes, bare feet, and the dirt underneath. Jared’s bare feet and black pant legs were next to his. They were standing outside the boundary wall of the Iron Age broch waiting for the signal from Ty. Jared shifted a tiny amount closer to Jensen. They didn’t speak, as was tradition, but Jensen took the loving comfort that Jared’s motion offered.

Ty’s voice boomed from inside the fort. The ancient stones were warm in the sun. The walls, in the region of three feet high, made circular seating for their family and friends. Ty stood in the centre, dressed in black like Jared, but he had a wolf skin draped over his shoulders. 

“Who seeks to come to the mating stone?”

As the pack second was not available Claire had assumed the role of announcer. The tall blonde looked fabulous in her long leaf patterned dress. She pronounced the ritual words clearly, “Alpha there are two without who wish to be joined.”

Ty projected his voice, “In the name of the maiden moon, Palu of Felines, our bountiful mother Luna of Wolves, who blessed our people with omegas, the mature mother and elder Sionna of Foxes, She who remains Hidden, The Dark of The Moon, and brother to the four sisters, He Who Changes, Welcome to you both and all assembled.”

Beside him Tomasz came around his son and took Jared’s hand. He led his son into the centre of the fort to stand in front of their pride-pack alpha. Jensen thought he could see every muscle move in Jared’s fluid feline motion toward their mating place. Then Stephen was in front of him, reaching down to take Jensen’s right hand in his left. There was the smallest tug to get him started and he followed the wolf alpha to his spot. He glanced right and saw Misha and Adrianne seated together on his side of the fort. The Benedicts were there too evening up the numbers as promised.

Jared mouthed I Love You when Jensen looked up. Jensen touched own heart and then pointed his finger at Jared – Me Too.

Their Alpha coughed to get their attention. “Those who come to be joined must be free to do so, and do so freely.”

That was their first cue. Jared as alpha went first, “I Alpha Jared Padalecki do come here freely and free.”

Jensen took a deep breath and was amazed that his voice held steady as he followed, “I Omega Jensen Ackles do come here freely and free.” 

“I greet you with joy.” Ty beamed adding sincerity to the scripted words, “Come closer and hear of the blessings of the Gods.”

They both took a single step nearer to Ty, who leaned to the side where a outcropping stone held his props. He raised a clear goblet, “With this water, may you see each other clearly and desire each other always.”

Next he swapped the goblet for a brass censer, “With this fire, may the energies of alpha will and omega harmony combine to balanced calm.”

Then he straightened up empty handed and made sweeping circles with his hands, “With the air that circulates, may you be joined in your minds.”

A firm stamp of his foot led to “With the earth of our land, may your union be steadfast and blessed to be fertile.”

Finally he picked up a bottle of rose aromatherapy oil, he dabbed a little on his finger and dotted it on Jared’s forehead first then on the centre of Jensen’s. “With this blessed oil may your spirits unite.”

Jensen didn’t have time to explore the feeling of the warm fragrant oil on his skin before Ty faced him, “Jensen repeat after me: By the blessed land, sea, sky, moon and sun, I take thee Jared, Cat and Man, as my mate, my alpha, to my heart, my soul and my hand, from now to our end of days and if the Gods will it beyond.”

Jensen had been repeating those words for days, and he was glad now, because they flowed off his tongue and he was able to look Jared in the eye while he spoke.

“Now Jensen,” Ty sounded full of encouragement, “Take Jared’s right hand in your right hand.” 

Jensen wrapped his hand around Jared’s larger one.

Ty continued, “How to you vow your love?”

Jensen ducked his eyes a moment, but it was as if he could feel the ghost of Jared’s hand tilting his head back up. He spoke loud enough for all to hear but the words were for Jay only, “Jared woke my heart from a slumber that I did not realise it rested in. He is the colour in my vision, the laughter in my hearing, the sweetness in my taste, the steadiness I can touch, the scent of my mate. When I am with him I am home and there is nowhere I would rather be for the rest of my days.”

Jared squeezed his hand and his brows dipped in the middle with his emotion, but he stayed strong as Ty prompted the alpha’s mating vow. 

Jared’s eyes never left Jensen’s as he repeated, “By the blessed land, sea, sky, moon and sun, I take thee Jensen, Wolf and Man, as my mate, my omega, to my heart, my soul, and my hand, from now to our end of days and if the Gods will it beyond.”

Then it was time for Jared’s personal vows. The new mates had kept their pieces a surprise for each other. Jensen licked his lips and prepared to hear his love’s words.

“I laughed at mates who talked of love at first sight,” Jared broke his gaze for a moment looking beyond Jensen, but his smiling hazel cat-like eyes returned filled with warmth, “but my Cat knew it was Jensen from the moment I sighted him, my heart knew before he was in the country, my mind caught up when we spoke, and when my Kochanie accepted me it was like the brightest star in my sky went supernova. He makes me a better alpha. He has already given me support, purpose and a reason for hope. I vow to protect him always, to cherish him close, and to love him eternally.”

Jensen knew he was probably crying but he was so full of awe and joy he didn’t care who saw him. Ty’s voice broke through to his mind. “Tomasz, Stephen, do you have the rings?”

Jared’s father stood in front of the newly-mated couple. He couldn’t keep the grin from his face. Jensen saw that Jared also shared his dimples with his Dad. “My son gives you this ring with the blessing of his family, welcome Jensen.” Tomasz lifted Jensen’s left hand and slipped a solid platinum band on Jensen’s finger. The alpha bent and kissed Jensen’s forehead before moving back to his place behind Jared.

Then Stephen took the same spot. He turned to face Jared and spoke with gravity, “My friend gives you this ring with my blessing, take care of him, Jared.” 

Jared raised his left hand for the other alpha and Stephen slipped Jensen’s ring on to Jared’s left finger.

Ty stepped close with a long white silk scarf. He placed their left hands on their right and wrapped the long scarf around them, in and out, back and across in an intricate pattern.

“Hands tied now walk with me clockwise around our guests and pride-pack members.” 

Jensen felt a pull on his right shoulder as he walked with his left side pressed up against Jared, their hands joined between them. There were calls of congratulations, a few lewd whistles, some cheering and a few teary faces as they made their progress around the fort. 

Back at the centre Ty reverently unwrapped their hands. He folded the silk and handed the white material to Jensen. The omega held it close to his chest. This would be used to swaddle their first child for the baby’s naming. 

“In the names of the Gods and Goddesses I declare these two mates. We give thanks to the divine for their bounty and their mercy and for letting neither distance, nor species, nor circumstances keep their love apart.” Ty moved forward and clapped a hand on each mates’ shoulder. 

Jared took Jensen’s jaw in his hand and tilted his face towards him, “Love you” he whispered and joined their lips together. Jared’s lips were warm and soft moving slowly across Jensen’s glossed and moisturised ones. Jensen parted for Jared’s tongue and let his alpha take control of the kiss. Jared’s hands moved to Jensen’s shoulder blades and pulled him close. Jensen found Jared’s ass with his hands and pushed his palm and fingers into his cheeks. The kiss lingered. Jensen didn’t want it to end. It was the first as mates. He pushed urgently into Jared’s mouth when he felt his alpha draw back and Jared resumed his gentle exploration of Jensen. Finally breathless and faces flushed they knocked foreheads, linked hands and walked together. Flower petals rained on them. Lear appeared on the wall at the entrance and blew a kiss as Jensen passed. Colin and Angus stood outside and drowned Jared and Jensen’s shoes in petals crushed by their small hands. 

Jensen basked in Jared’s presence. They shared a single plate at their table in the Inn. Toast followed toast. Jensen rested his head on Jared’s shoulder for the Celli band. Some of the pride-pack and their crofter neighbours danced. Sandy and Ossian did their best to join in the swing of things. 

“I want to take you home and rub my spines into your hole,” Jared whispered full of dirty promise. 

“We have to dance first.” Jensen whispered back, “It is tradition.”

“Let’s dance, but I have warned you I have clumsy feet.” Jared made to stand.

“Not to this, Jay Bird. The first song on my I-pod playlist. Then we are almost expected to sneak away.” Jensen curled a little more into Jared’s body.

He noticed Stephen chatting with Ty and Ian. Misha was being shown something on an I-pad by Felicia who had returned in time for the reception. 

Then the band were taking their bows. Josie rushed up and twirled herself around Rob, taking the bow with the band as if she had performed. This earned her a playful smack on her behind from her mate.

Sophie fiddled with the sound system and gave Jensen the nod. He pulled Jared out to the centre of the dining room and hands on Jared’s hips used his touch to persuade his alpha to sway with him even before the song started. 

Steve Tyler’s words spoke for his heart and he saw Jared’s eyes widen as he recognised the lyrics, “I could stay awake just to hear you breathing, Watch you smile while you are sleeping...”

Jared crushed him close as they spun slowly melded into each other. Jared mouth hovered over his ear and sang along, “...I could stay lost in this moment forever, every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure...”

By the final “I don't wanna miss a thing” everyone was singing along and a few couples had joined them on the floor. Jared pulled Jensen through the others and out the doors to the beer garden. Ian and Sophie were having a smoke at one of the tables, and Jensen caught Ian’s cheeky grin as Jared scooped him up into his arms and carried him all the way home.

“Too long,” Jared muttered as he carried Jensen up the stairs, “Too long, Kochanie, I can’t wait any more, I can’t linger for you.”

“Don’t want you to, want you now, Jay, want to feel you inside me.” Jensen grasped Jared’s black shirt as he lay him on the bed. His trousers were sticky with slick when Jared eased him down. Jensen did his best with Jared’s fly and buttons. Jared pinched his sensitive nipples. Jensen wondered if his senses were heightened because he was being claimed or was it due to his approaching heat. He was so wet so ready, but Jared was nuzzling his face into stomach, blowing trails of air down Jensen’s rock hard cock. 

“Please, my alpha, my mate, please” Jensen couldn’t last. He didn’t want to come before Jared was linked to him.

Jared heard him and moved to brace himself with his hands, his body hovering over Jensen. He made a primal feral noise but moved with care and adoration, lowering himself slowly, moving a hand to stroke himself with Jensen’s slick, smearing that lubrication over Jensen’s own cock and pulling upwards, adding more stimulation as he eased his hard length into his omega for the first time. Stars burst in front of Jensen’s eyes. His body responded, releasing more slick, sucking Jared in, muscles of his passage rippling to take his alpha. The scent of alpha arousal filled Jensen’s nose and he was in another level of bliss. Then Jared’s spines swelled, they were like beads or fingers pushing against his walls finding his prostate over and over. Jensen couldn’t keep from coming long and hard, his body shaking and hole clenching.

“Kochanie, so good, my Jen, Oh Luna, Oh Holy Mother, so right, mine, my love.” Jared rambled as he thrust hard into Jensen. When Jensen came, Jared shuddered and stilled and then Jensen was flooded with his mate’s seed. It was filling him and Jared’s spines were fully extended. As Jared pulled out, Jensen screamed with the sudden pain. It wasn’t agony, it was good sharp pain like a stinging smack or a vice like nipple pinch. The spines dragged against his walls and over his prostate again giving him pain pleasure at the last. 

Jared bent down and bit into the flesh of Jensen’s right shoulder, above his collar bone, near his neck. Jared’s feline incisors extended in this unique moment and as they broke his skin, Jensen gasped “Alpha.”

Jared’s jaws clenched down, holding on to his omega with his mouth. He pulled back nipping at the skin and licking up the thin lines of blood. Then he kissed Jensen tasting of copper pennies. The puncture marks would scar, evidence to every other werecat, werewolf, creature, hybrid and human, that Jensen was claimed, that he was Jared’s mate. 

He collapsed into the pillows, but Jared wasn’t finished. He moved down to lick and salve at Jensen’s grazed rim. He used Jensen’s own slick like a soothing balm to rub into the raw skin. Jensen thought he would be sore in the morning. This and the ache from new claiming bite would remain with him in the coming hours and he looked forward to feeling the evidence of their mating all day.

“So good Jensen, I love you so much.” Jared kissed a trail up Jensen’s thigh to his knee and then moved to lie next to his mate.

They breathed each other’s air. Jared put an arm around Jensen and held him. 

“You are mine now Jay Bird.” Jensen grinned as Jared lay facing him.

Jared put a finger to Jensen’s lips, “We belong to each other, forever.”

“Forever.” Jensen agreed and placed his right hand over Jared’s heart, so he could feel it beating as he drifted off to sleep beside his alpha, his very own Kochanie, his soul mate.

....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Polish is 'calm down' and then a more emphatic 'calm down'.  
> Thanks to my Polish work colleague Szymon for the translations.
> 
> The mating ritual is an combination of several pagan marriage rituals, with some original fiction elements. No insult or slight is meant to any pagans or wiccans. I hope I portrayed the respect and love of a handfasting ritual. 
> 
> The song is Aerosmith 'I don't want to miss a thing'.
> 
> Thank you to every one who has read, commented, left kudos, bookmarked. I am so pleased that you have liked my Jared-cat and Jensen-wolf.
> 
> This is not the end....
> 
> I have notes floating around of what happens next.


End file.
